Let me start by explaining how it happen. I’ve been behind the eight ball since I came back from “Vacation With Vanelli” in North Carolina and then Photoshop World in Orlando a week later. The back projects caught up with me and I had to take a nap. I receive a text from Terry Reinert Tuesday asking me if I saw the early show. His text was full of excitement and enthusiasm. I couldn’t believe I missed the first show. I watched the second show and called in for a question about the new painting feature.. We’ll I said the question was for a “friend” Fay Sirkis. On a side note Fay is one of today’s most sought after digital artist and she specializes in  Fine Portrait Painting. Now can you see why it was funny? During the show Alan Hess playfully harassed me and Elizabeth “Firgs” Gast started the “Hey the show is missing a Vanelli”. Scott said we are short handed tomorrow why don’t you come over and work security (another inside joke). I thought he was kidding. After  Larry Becker assured me he was serious, I asked Norm DiCrocco and Tom Clark if they could take over my karate class and I took the 163 mile drive to Tampa. It took a group of people to help make this happen and I’m very thankful!

I was greeted with the tradition “Vanelli is in the building lock down alert” from Larry Becker. I made my rounds to say hi to the NAPP staff (I love them!) before I saw the man himself, Scott Kelby. We did our usual joking and he asked if I wanted to do a tutorial. I thought I was just coming for a visit! I had a jump drive with me but no computer. Scott said no problem, we’ll get RC to get you one.  RC Concepcion is the Swiss Army Knife of NAPP. He looked for a windows 7 based machine loaded with CS5. When that was proving to be difficult, he prepared a MAC machine for me. Keep in mind he was downloading the beta, getting the computer ready, arranging for IT to have the video feed set up, ordering food, researching questions and preparing his tutorial for the show. (There’s more in a bit!). I created a few quick tutorials keeping in mind I was on a different platform and well, it’s a live show. Scott assured me if I messed up it would be OK, they would just razz me for the entire show.

We walked to the studio from the office to set up. When we got there, the video crew was ready. I gave a huge hug to Nancy “NAPP News” Masse who was preparing the whole live chat section of the show. Juan (who is also a talented Photog and Photoshop user) did my makeup and I sat down for a sound test. Jason “The Scriv” Scrivner runs a tight ship! Keep in mind, my computer still hasn’t downloaded CS5 and I’m hiding the fact I’m getting nervous. Dave Cross kept us all entertained with his humor and I was amazed at how cool and collective he was. If he were an Italian I would compare him to the king of cool, Dean Martin. Scott showed up 5 minutes before the show and the studio took on a life of its own!

Scriv gave us the count down and the guys were joking all the way down to the 5 second mark. Then BAM we were live! Did I mention I still didn’t have CS5 download…let alone installed yet? Three minutes into the show, CS5 was finally downloaded. RC must have had an internal clock, he walked over and installed it quick and padded me on the shoulder. I just laugh and took in how calm everyone was. I loaded my image and with one minute to spare, Scott had me do my tutorial! Once I completed my first tutorial, I reminded myself of lessons I learned from my years on the National Karate Circuit.  I stilled myself to soak in the memory of the event and to live in the moment.I saw how everyone was just having fun. Nancy was trying to hold in her laughs as she typed 80 words a minute organizing the live text chat. RC was working on two computers having a blast answering text questions and preparing his tutorials. Scott and Dave bounced off each other as seasoned Host and Co-host. Scoot also included everyone from us to the video crew into the show! It was an incredible experience to be with friends doing what I love.

The second show’s format was a little different. Larry Becker filled in for Scott. RC and Dave came up with a JDI (Just Do It) idea 15 minutes before the show. RC gave me my JDI and Dave pulled from his own JDI library. I’m sure when Thomas Knoll (the creator of Photoshop) watches Dave he says “Wow Photoshop can do that?”. The man knows his stuff!  With Larry being on the show, I remembered what my son Alec said before I left. I told him I was a little nervous and he said just don’t mess up and if Larry is on the show, don’t try to be funny, you can’t compete with that! Larry is the Executive Director of NAPP. One of his many job duties is to organizes great deals for NAPP members. He is a natural born speaker, motivator and teacher. His photography and Photoshop skills are amazing. With so much talent around me, could you understand why I was a little nervous?

On a side note, I now know how the gang feels when I text them during a show. After my distracting experience from Alan Hess, Mike Kubeisy, Kevin McSparron, Dawn Camp, Terry Reinert and Randy Van Duinen, I will limit my pranks. did you notice at one point Scott asked me a question and I couldn’t answer, I just laughed?  MATT KLOSKOWSKI was texting comments like…. “Dude your bombing the show. Just kidding you’re the only good one, the other guys are hacks.” He had me laughing so hard, I had to turn my phone off.  For that, I have arranged another sparring match for him with Superfoot Wallace.

I just want to thank Scott, the crew and you the viewers  for making my experience a memorable one!

Photo credit Juan Alfonso via his android phone

Top 10 Scott Kelby Can

10 Rob H Scott Kelby doesn’t use strobes; the brilliance coming from his mind can illuminate any scenario you may encounter.

9 Rob Sylvan Scott Kelby can save JPGs with lossless compression. None of the data wants to leave the photo.

8 William Beem Scott Kelby doesn’t use VR because he shakes. Everything else around him shakes.

7  chris Scott Kelby naturally sees the world in HDR

6  Alan Hess Scott Kelby doesn’t need to set the White Balance, the light will change to whatever he needs.

5  Michael White Scott Kelby doesn’t use a memory card, the photos store directly in his brain and then are transferred to his compute through thought when he feels like it.

4  Charles Dee Rice Scott Kelby never adjusts his camera’s shutter speed. Time stands still for as long as he leaves the shutter open.

3  Jeff Tamagini Scott Kelby can wirelessly trigger the sun

2  Rebecca Fryer When Scott Kelby does a 360 Panorama he doesn’t use a tripod the world rotates around him.

1  Charles Dee Rice Scott Kelby is the only photographer capable of photographing Chuck Norris delivering a round-house kick… to the camera.

I admit, I’m spoiled by getting to attend Photoshop World twice a year. But that still doesn’t make it easy to select my classes!

Tuesday, March 23rd

12:00p-09:00p NAPP Photo Safari with Moose Peterson & Joe McNally

Wednesday, March 24^th

01:00p-06:00p  Expo Open

08:00p-11:00p  Photoshop World After-Hours Party – BB King

09:00a-10:15a  Opening Ceremony & Keynote

10:45a-11:45a My Favorite Photoshop Tips & Techniques with Russell Brown

12:00p-01:00p  Many Uses of a White Seamless Background with Zack Arias

02:30p-03:30p  Mastering HDR Photography with Matt Kloskowski

06:15p-07:15p  The Lazarus Effect: Raising the Dead Pixel with Vincent Versace

Thursday, March 25^th

01:00p-05:00p  Expo Open

07:15p-09:15p  The Art of Digital Photography

10:00p-12:00a  Midnight Madness hosted by Scott Kelby

08:15a-09:15a  Real World Image Sharpening with Jeff Schewe

09:30a-10:30a  Photoshop for Video with Richard Harrington

10:45a-11:45a  Designing With Type 2010 with Scott Kelby

12:00p-01:00p  Photoshop Restoration with Matt Kloskowski

04:45p-05:45p  Bringing Out the Big Guns with Joe McNally

Friday, March 26^th

09:00a-01:00p  Expo Open

11:00a-12:00p  Practical B&W Conversion for the Common User with Vincent Versace

01:00p-02:00p  The Perfect Panoramic With Photomerge with Jim DiVitale

02:15p-03:15p  One Light for Real People with Jack Reznicki

03:45p-04:45p  Conference Wrap-up & Giveaways

I admit I don’t have all the answers, but I know who and where to find them. Continuing my research on the legal side of photography took me to, you guest it, kelbytraining.com. Like my other post, I write these articles as basic notes to myself and to share them with friends. I encourage you to sit through the 90 minute video class with Jack Reznicki and  Ed Greenberg.

For those who don’t have time but need the information, I’m outlining what I interpreted from the class. The benefits from watching the video enables you to hear advice from the experts and download any materials they have. Keep in mind, because you have these rights doesn’t mean you have to exercise them, but they are good to have!

To copyright your work, go to copyright.gov NOT .com

1. Why Do You Want to Register (02:54)
2. Benefits of Registration (10:54)
   • you have the rights to your image
   • when you pass on, your estate inherits your rights
   • enables you to file a claim if someone uses your image without permission
3. What Are Your Copyrights? (06:50)
   • control over reproduction of your work
   • you can license your image for use DO NOT sell them
   • right of derivative (you have the right to make changes to your work)
4. Right of Distribution (06:35)
   • you decide where your work appears example: billboards, ads
   • right of display example: only in color, black and white, cropped or uncropped
   • the right to say NO if you don’t want the image to be viewed
5. Rights with your Registration (07:56)
   • the right to sue if your rights are violated
   • compensatory damages (the amount you would have charged)
   • statutory damages (court awards an amount)
6. Rights with your Registration, Part 2 (08:58)
   • having your lawyer fees covered
   • you may order an injunction
   • leverage
7. Starting the Registration Process (02:23)
   • don’t send the full size image to the copyright office
   • resize your image to a small jpg (about 700px by 700px with 5 compression) that could be presented in court
8. Registration Process Step by Step (05:53)
   • you can send the unedited version of the image (any retouching would be covered as a derivative)
   • make sure you have your copyright information in the meta data (use lightroom or photoshop)
   • http://www.copyright.gov
9. Copyright (11:02)
   • visiting the copyright web site gives you a wealth of information
   • Firefox user need to change tab settings to accept new pages open new windows
   • Safari web browser doesn’t work
   • use the web sites back and forward buttons not the browsers
   • electronic copyright takes about 3 months to receive your certificate
   • images are recognized as copyright the day you upload them
10. Registering a New Claim (10:26)
    • register your work as visual arts
    • give a reasonable title relation to the work
    • select unpublished if it’s on your web site or has been shown then published
    • narrow your registration to the same year, month or quarter
    • copyright your photos in your name but check with your account for their opinion
11. Limits to Claim (06:13)
    • click next button don’t limit your work
    • rights and permission should be all about you
    • corespondent again should be you
    • DO NOT click anything in “special handling” unless you talk to your lawyer
12. New Claim Certification (07:54)
    • first process will take awhile once you get use to it, it should take about 5 minutes
    • review your application, once you click submit, it’s a legal document and can’t be changed
13. Registering a New Claim After your Payment (05:00)
    • accept an email confirmation
    • don’t click done until you upload your images
    • upload a zip file of your images
    • limited to 30 minutes per upload you can have more than one upload
14. Wrap Up (01:46)
    • MYTHS that are NOT true
    • • if you put your photo in an envelop and mail to yourself it’s copyrighted
      • if you change a percentage of a photograph or art it because yours
      • you can use an image as long as you don’t make a profit from it
    • copyright your work!

I hope this gave you insight on copyrighting your work. I encourage you to watch the video if not for the knowledge, but for the shear entertaining value of Jack and Ed!

Adobe Photoshop is a graphics editing program developed and published by Adobe Systems. It is the current market leader for commercial bitmap and image manipulation software, and is the flagship product of Adobe Systems. It has been described as “an industry standard for graphics professionals“. Adobe Photoshop Lightroom is a digital darkroom for photographers. It is a simpler program that enables photographers to enhance and organize their photographs. The learning curve isn’t as steep as learning Photoshop. So why did Abode create Adobe Photoshop Lightroom? Simply put, Adobe created this for photographers!

Lightroom makes it easy to organize and edit your photographs. If you purchased Lightroom just for this feature alone, you got your money’s worth. Gone are the shoe box days of storing your precious memories.What’s even better, you are able to store your photographs into collections. With a few clicks of the mouse, you are able to show your best photographs without having to sift through all of them. Most of the powerful “photo editing” features of Photoshop are included in Lightroom. You are able to make changes to an entire image (global change) or by using adjustment brushes you can narrow it down to a select change (local change). You can even create slide shows, web galleries and print from within Lightroom!

Photoshop is the industry standard for graphics professionals. It has even more powerful tools for “image manipulation” than Lightroom. But it does come at a cost. It’s a very complicated program to learn on your own. Mastering the program takes years and even then you will barely scratch the surface. Professional graphic artist have no choice but to learn Photoshop. Professional photographer should invest in classes and training.

One Key Difference (described by Alan Hess)

One key difference between Photoshop and Lightroom is that photoshop edits the image on the pixel level and Lightroom doesn’t. You don’t actually change the image in Lightroom, you just add a instructions on how the image should be adjusted when it is either opened in Photoshop or exported from lightroom. The changes don’t actually happen until the image is exported out of Lightroom. This makes all the changes editable and non destructive, where as in Photoshop, if you tweak a pixel, then save the file and come back to it later it can;t be undone in a non destructive way.

Here is a sample using Lightroom with Photoshop. The only difference, Photoshop enabled me to remove two people from the image! Can you find them?

My suggestion

If you make your living as a professional graphic artist, you need the complete Adobe Creative Suite Design Premium edition. The Design Premium package comes with Adobe InDesign, Photoshop Extended, Illustrator, Flash Professional, Dreamweaver, Fireworks and Acrobat Pro with additional tools and services. Most, if not all companies, already have a site licenses for these products. If you are starting out on your own, the initial investment has a retail price of about $1799.00. It may seem like a lot, but starting your own business is never cheap.

If you make your living as a professional photographer, start out with Lightroom and grow into Photoshop. You’ll know when you are ready to incorporate Photoshop into your work flow. Lightroom retails for about $299.00 US and$99.00 US upgrade.

Amateur Photographers should start out with Lightroom. If you are not doing any image manipulation (example: look at a Harry Potter movie poster) then you will probably never need Photoshop.

Student Edition products are available for purchase by higher education students only. A higher education student is defined as a full- or part-time student enrolled at an accredited public or private university or college (including community, junior, or vocational college) that grants degrees requiring not less than the equivalent of two years of full-time study. Student Edition retail price is about $399.00 for the Adobe Creative Suite Design Premium edition.

If you are a kid or you don’t make money from your photography, check out Photoshop.com. Photoshop.com is a complete solution for managing, editing, storing, and sharing your photos online, with tutorials, inspiration, and more.

Classes and Training

Photoshop has grown so much over the years and has developed into an overwhelming program for beginners. I remember working with version 2.0. I must have called Adobe Tech Support three times a day. Finally one patient technician told me that their support system is for when the program didn’t work and not for learning how to do something. I asked how I was supposed to learn this stuff. He turned me on to KW Media. KW stood for… Kelby and Workman. I wish I knew the name of that technician. I’d bring flowers to the insane asylum I probably sent him to. The moral of this story is save an Adobe technician and seek training!

The best online resource for learning Abode products is  Kelby Training. Scott Kelby is a best selling author and his team has an amazing way to disseminate information. If you prefer a live seminar, they offer one day classes too. These seminars are lecture based. An instructor takes you through lessons as a group and you follow along with the class book that is yours to keep.

There are also many private and semi private classes available all over. Exposure Photographic Art Studio; that’s us, teaches hands on classes for Photography, Photoshop, Lightroom and WordPress. Our main target audience is beginners, novice and intermediate level students. If you want to take your photography or Photoshop / Lightroom skills to a new level, attend a Photoshop World Conference!

If you have time and money, train with some of the best photographers and photo editors of our era. Never in the history of photography has so many Masters of Photography taught to the general public. Take advantage of their knowledge, skills and willingness to share. Most of these classes are nestled in majestic environments. Attending some of these week long classes will have you walking away with beautiful photographs and a major understanding of photography!

My Wish List of 12 Photography Classes and Workshops

• Kevin Ames
• John Paul Caponigro
• Jack Davis
• Jim DiVitale
• Laurie Excell
• Mike Kubeisy
• Jay Maisel
• Joe McNally
• Moose Peterson
• Jack Reznicki
• Vincent Versace
• David Ziser

Scott Kelby

Editor, Photoshop User magazine

Conference Technical Chair
Scott is editor and publisher of Photoshop User magazine and Layers magazine (the how-to magazine for everything Adobe). … read more » He also is the president and co-founder of the National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP) and president of the software training, education, and publishing firm Kelby Media Group.

Scott is a photographer, designer, and an award-winning author of more than 40 books, including Photoshop Lightroom Book for Digital Photographers, The Photoshop CS3 Book for Digital Photographers, The 7-Point System, The Photoshop Channels Book, Photoshop Classic Effects, and The Digital Photography Book.

Since 2004, Scott has been awarded the distinction of being the world’s #1 best-selling author of all computer and technology books, across all categories. His books have been translated into dozens of different languages, including Chinese, Russian, Spanish, Korean, Polish, Taiwanese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Dutch, Swedish, Turkish, and Portuguese, among others, and he is a recipient of the prestigious Benjamin Franklin Award.

In addition, Scott is training director for Kelby Training and technical chair for the Photoshop World Conference & Expo. He’s featured in a series of Adobe Photoshop training DVDs and has been training Adobe Photoshop users since 1993. For more information on Scott, visit scottkelby.com.

Kevin Ames

Photographer, educator, and author

Kevin Ames is a well-known commercial digital photographer who has written several Photoshop and photography books, including The Digital Photographers Notebook, Photoshop CS2: The Art of Photographing Women, and Digital SLR Photography with Photoshop CS2 for Dummies. … read more » His company, Ames Photographic Illustration, has done work for Honda, AT&T, and Westin Hotels. He also writes the “Digital Photographer’s Notebook” column for Photoshop User magazine, and is a Photoshop World Dream Team instructor.

Scott Diussa

Photographer, teacher, writer

Scott Diussa is a photographer, teacher, musician, traveler and part-time writer. Scott is a graduate of the Southeast Center for Photographic Studies at Daytona Beach College in Florida. … read more » His photographic background started with weddings, portraits and architectural photography but quickly changed to teaching photography at the Disney Institute at Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL. From there he joined the Nikon “family” and is currently the Manager of Nikon Professional Services and Training.

Scott has taught thousands of eager photographers throughout the United States on how to get the most of their Nikon equipment. His personal favorite areas of photography today are concert, aviation and travel photography. To see Scott’s images and read about where his travels take him visit his Blog at www.scottdiussa.com. For more information about Nikon Professional Services go to www.nikonpro.com.

Corey Barker

Education and Curriculum Developer for NAPP

Corey is the newest education and curriculum developer for the National Association of Photoshop Professionals. He is a graduate of the Ringling School of Art & Design … read more » in Sarasota, Fl, with a degree in Illustration. Over the years, Corey has worked as a graphic artist in a variety of disciplines such as illustration, commercial design, large format printing, motion graphics, web design and photography. His expertise in Photoshop and Illustrator have earned him numerous awards in illustration, graphic design and photography. Using Photoshop since Version 2, his expertise and creativity have evolved exponentially with every new version, which makes Corey an invaluable addition to the NAPP team.

Russell Brown

Sr. Creative Director at Adobe Systems Incorporated

Russell Brown is an Emmy Award-winning instructor, and senior creative director at Adobe Systems Incorporated. He facilitates the exchange between digital designers and software developers that is … read more » so vital to product development at Adobe. Russell`s 24-years of wacky and whimsical design work has been published in Design Graphics magazine, Photoshop User magazine, and on the Web at www.adobe.com.

He is also the creator of “The Russell Brown Show” at www.tv.adobe.com. Always delighting in testing the creative limits of his tools, Russell is the prolific creator of an entertaining collection of Photoshop tips and tricks. His double treat of great information presented in a bold, zany style has won him a regular following among beginning, intermediate, and advanced users alike.

John Paul Caponigro

Author, Fine Artist and Contributing Columnist

John Paul Caponigro, author of Adobe Photoshop Master Class, is an internationally renowned fine artist. He is a contributing editor for Camera Arts and View Camera, and … read more » a columnist for PHOTO Techniques. Additionally, John teaches workshops for private and select venues, including The Santa Fe Photography Workshops and The Maine Photographic Workshops. A Canon Explorer of Light and an Epson Stylus Pro, his clients include Adobe, Apple, and Kodak.

Rafael Concepcion

Education and Curriculum Developer for NAPP

Rafael Concepcion (RC) is an education and curriculum developer for the National Association of Photoshop Professionals, and the co-host of Layers TV – The How To Podcast For … read more »Everything Adobe. An Adobe Certified Instructor in Photoshop, Illustrator, and Lightroom, RC has over 10 years in the I.T. and ecommerce industries and spends his days developing content for all applications in the Adobe Creative Suite. RC has held training seminars in the U.S., Europe, and Latin America, and recently combined his
photographic and web experience to teach with famed wildlife photographer Moose Peterson at the “You Can Do It Too” workshops in Mammoth, CA and at the Voices That Matter Web Conference in San Francisco, CA. RC also writes columns for Layers and Photoshop User magazines.

Dave Cross

Author and Trainer

Dave Cross is Senior Developer, Education and Curriculum for the National Association of Photoshop Professionals and is involved in all aspects of the training that is provided to NAPP members, … read more » including the content of seminars, conferences and workbooks. He also creates very popular weekly QuickTime-based tutorials that appear on the members’ website. Dave is an Adobe Certified Instructor in Photoshop CS2 and Illustrator CS2 and is a Certified Technical Trainer.

Prior to joining NAPP, Dave lived in Canada and trained thousands of users across North America. Dave co-authored Illustrator CS2 Killer Tips and is the author of the Photoshop CS2 Help Desk Book and Photoshop Finishing Touches. Dave writes for Photoshop User magazine, teaches at the Photoshop World Conference & Expo and is the Lead Instructor for the Photoshop Seminar Tour. He is also featured on a series of DVDs and is one of the “Photoshop Guys” on Adobe Photoshop TV.

Jack Davis

Author, Photoshop WOW! Book and Designer/Illustrator/Photographer

A Photoshop Hall of Famer, Jack is co-author of the award-winning Photoshop Wow! Books and How to Wow: Photoshop for Photography books, … read more » as well as an award-winning designer/illustrator/photographer. He is also a contributing editor to numerous other books and magazines (including Photoshop User) on digital imagery, photography and design. Jack has degrees in traditional Commercial Art and Graphic Design and an MA and MFA in Digital Imagery, and when he’s not in front of his Cinema Display in San Diego he’s usually on the beach somewhere in Polynesia with his digital camera and analog paints documenting the local color.

Jim DiVitale

Digital Photographer and Instructor

Jim DiVitale has been an Atlanta commercial advertising photographer and instructor for over 28 years, specializing in digital photography and computer photo illustration. … read more » He is a PPA Master Photographer, Master of Electronic Imaging, Photographic Craftsman, Fellow of the American Society of Photographers, and a Canon “Explorer of Light.” Jim also writes the Digital Photography Workshop column for Photoshop User magazine.

Going completely digital capture in 1992, his award winning digital photography has been featured in Graphis Photo, Print, Archive Magazine, Create Magazine, Creativity, Rangefinder, Professional Photographer, Photo Electronic Imaging, Digital Output Magazine, Digital Imaging, Photo District News, and After Capture Magazine. His clients include Mizuno USA, William Carter Co, Toshiba, TEC America, Kenneth Cole, Bellsouth, BP Amoco, COX Media, Genuine Parts Company, Solvay Advanced Polymers, Witness Systems, JP Morgan Financial, Coca-Cola USA, and Scientific Atlanta. View Jim’s portfolio and blog at: www.DiVitalePhotography.com.

Katrin Eismann

Artist, author, educator

Katrin Eismann is 1/3 artist, 1/3 author, and 1/3 educator. She received her BFA degree in Photographic Illustration from the Rochester Institute of Technology and her MFA degree in Design from the School of Visual Arts … read more ». She has co-authored: Web Design Studio Secrets, Adobe Photoshop Studio Secrets, Real World Digital Photography, and authored Photoshop Restoration and Retouching and Photoshop Masking & Compositing. Her clients include Apple Computer, Adobe Systems, Eastman Kodak, Nikon USA, Fuji Film, and the US Navy. She spends a great deal of time in airports waiting for flights to domestic and international destinations where she teaches and presents on a wide variety of digital imaging topics. To learn more about Katrin please visit visit www.katrineismann.com.

Laurie Excell

Photographer and NAPP Photo Gear Desk

Laurie spent the first 25 years of her career in photographic sales helping pros and hobbyists alike decide which photographic equipment best suited their needs. … read more » All the while, she was an avid photographer. In 2000 she left sales to become a full-time professional wildlife and nature photographer. She has been published in Outdoor Photographer, Outdoor Photography (UK), Photoshop User, and Layers magazines. You will also find her photography on Audubon calendars, as well as postcards, calendars, and posters for the National Park Service.

As if that’s not enough, Laurie also leads wildlife photography safaris in North America and is an instructor with the Digital Landscape Workshop Series, Photoshop World, and Cruising Through Life training extravaganzas. She also runs a business called Equipment Lady, where she sells photographic equipment on consignment for other photographers when they upgrade their equipment. Oh, and in all of her spare time, she’s the Photo Equipment Advice Desk Guru for our very own National Association of Photoshop Professionals.

Helene Glassman

Photographer

Helene Glassman is an award-winning photographer/businesswoman in Santa Barbara, California. She has been awarded the Master of Photography and Photographic Craftsman degrees … read more » by the Professional Photographers of America and is a Certified Professional Photographer as well. Her company, Imagery Photography, has been a well-respected and successful portrait event studio in Southern California for over 25 years. Educated in music and art at the University of Memphis and in photography at the Brooks Institute in Santa Barbara, her creative juices have been rounded out with a Masters degree in Communications. As is the case with most small businesses, it is her responsibility to create marketing and advertising ideas for the company. Hence, an idea was born out of a need to create and to expand the business.

Joe Glyda

Digital Imaging and Technology Manager

Joe Glyda was a Digital Imaging Advisor for Kraft Foods in Glenview, Illinois for over 25 years. He initiated their digital capabilities back in 1993, and now the Creative Services Photography Studio completes … read more » 100% of all their photography digitally using Photoshop CS. Joe is a member of PPA, MIPA, and ASMP. He is on the Advisory Board at Prairie State College in Chicago Heights and was also a member on the Subcommittee for the FIRST group, which created standards for digital photographers for the flexographic printing industry. Joe has been creating photographic images since he was 8 years old and has been working at Kraft for 31 years. He brags that he hasn’t used film since 1995.

Rod Harlan

Director of the Digital Video Professionals Association

Rod Harlan is the president of DriveDV, Inc., a full service multimedia firm, live event producer, and episodic web television development studio. He is the founder and director of education for the … read more »Digital Video Professionals Association (DVPA), Dynamic Media editor for Layers magazine, and the audio-visual director for the National Association of Photoshop Professionals bi-annual Photoshop World Conferences. He is an author and contributor of numerous books, countless magazine articles, and is a frequent speaker and trainer at many of the largest conferences and expos. You can connect with Rod at his personal blog, http://www.DVconfidential.com

Richard Harrington

Editor and Motion Graphic Artist

Richard Harrington is a certified Project Management Professional, Adobe Certified Expert in Photoshop and After Effects, and Apple Certified Trainer in Final Cut Pro. Additionally, he has completed … read more » Avid’s Master Editor Workshop and the Avid Certified Instructor program. His visual communications consultancy, RHED Pixel, creates motion graphics and produces video and multimedia projects. He is the author of Photoshop for Video and Understanding Adobe Photoshop as well as a moderator of DV Magazine’s Photoshop for Video forum. You can find out more about Richard and his blogs at www.RasterVector.com and www.PhotoshopforVideo.com.

Lesa Snider

Trainer, Writer & Chief Evangelist for iStockphoto.com

As the founder of the free creative tutorial web site, GraphicReporter.com, and chief evangelist for iStockphoto.com, Lesa is on a mission to teach the world to create better graphics … read more ». She writes for the National Association of Photoshop Professionals, Planetphotoshop.com, Macworld Magazine, and Layers Magazine. Lesa is also New York Times technology columnist David Pogue’s personal assistant, and the production editor/graphics goddess of his Missing Manual series. You can catch her Graphics Tip of the Week live each Wednesday night on YourMacLife.com.

Matt Kloskowski

Author and Educator

Matt Kloskowski is the Education and Curriculum Developer for the National Association of Photoshop Professionals. He has authored and co-authored five books on Photoshop and Illustrator … read more » and teaches an advanced Photoshop course for Sessions.edu. In addition to being an Adobe Certified Expert in Photoshop and a Macromedia Flash Certified Developer, Matt is a regular contributor to Photoshop User and Layers magazines and writes weekly columns for several digital imaging websites.

Julieanne Kost

Graphics Evangelist, Adobe Systems

Joining Adobe in 1992, Julieanne has learned her craft through hands-on experience and now serves as the Senior Digital Imaging Evangelist. Spanning digital imaging and illustration, her role includes customer education, product development, and market research. … read more » She is a frequent contributor to several publications, a speaker at numerous design conferences and tradeshows, and a teacher at distinguished photography workshops and fine art schools around the world.

Julieanne is also the author behind Window Seat – The Art of Digital Photography and Creative Thinking, the founder of jkost.com and the creator of the Adobe Photoshop CS training DVDs published by Software Cinema.

Jay Maisel

Photographer

Photographer Jay Maisel’s career spans 40 years. His name has become synonymous with vibrant color photography that uses light and gesture to create countless unforgettable images for advertising, editorial, and corporate communications … read more ». In addition, his pictures appear in books and art collections. Included among his many awards for excellence are the Art Directors Club Hall of Fame, American Society of Media Photographers’ Photographer of the Year Award, and the International Center of Photography’s Infinity Award. A graduate of Cooper Union and Yale University, Jay continues his education by teaching younger photographers at workshops, seminars, and lectures around the world.

Dan Margulis

Author, Prepress Manager, and Color Authority

Dan Margulis is internationally regarded as the leading authority on color correction. He is the author of Professional Photoshop, which, since its first edition in 1994, has become the unofficial bible of the prepress and printing industries … read more ». His column, “Makeready,” which focuses on practical production issues, appears in both Photoshop User and Electronic Publishing magazines. Formerly a professional prepress manager with over 20 years experience heading electronics departments at high-end trade shops, he now offers small-group, hands-on color correction classes in the U.S., Canada, and Europe in four different languages. In September 2001, Dan was one of the first three persons named to the Photoshop Hall of Fame of the National Association of Photoshop Professionals.

Deke McClelland

Author and Trainer

Formerly an art director at one of the first service bureaus in the U.S., Deke McClelland is a best-selling author on the subjects of computer graphics, digital imaging, and electronic design. Since the publication of his first book in 1987 … read more » (Desktop Publishing Type & Graphics), Deke has overseen the creation of 80 technology and design books, which have been translated into more than 20 languages with 3 million copies in print. His current book titles include Adobe Photoshop One-on-One, Adobe InDesign One-on-One, and Photoshop Elements for Windows One-on-One (all Deke Press/O’Reilly Media). He also hosts the DVD-based training series Total Training for Adobe Photoshop, Total Training for Adobe Illustrator, and Photoshop Elements Unleashed (all Total Training). One of the most award-winning writers in the business, Deke received a total of seven honors from the Computer Press Association. In 2002, he was inducted into NAPP’s Photoshop Hall of Fame.

Joe McNally

Photographer

Joe McNally is an internationally cclaimed American photographer and long-time photojournalist. From 1994 until 1998, he was LIFE magazine’s staff photographer, the first one in 23 years. His most well known series is the “Faces of Ground Zero — Portraits of the Heroes of September 11th,” … read more » a collection of 246 giant Polaroid portraits shot in the Moby c Studio near Ground Zero in a three-week period shortly after 9/11. A large group of these historic, compelling life-size (9′x4′) photos were exhibited in seven cities in 2002, seen by almost a million people. The sale of 55,000 copies of the exhibit book, printed by LIFE, raised over $2 million for the 9/11-relief effort. This collection is considered by many museum and art professionals to be the most significant artistic endeavor to evolve to date from the 9/11 tragedy.

Some of McNally’s other renowned photographic series include, “The Future of Flying,” a cover and 32-page story, commemorating the centennial observance of the Wright Brothers’ flight and the future of aviation, which appeared in National Geographic magazine, December 2003. Joe is a 25-year contributor to National Geographic, and this story was the first all-digital shoot for the magazine. This issue was a National Magazine Award Finalist, and the magazine’s best-selling issue ever.

In 2005, Joe shot a photo diary of the New York City Opera’s historic first tour to Japan as part of the World Expo 2005. Joe’s work has won numerous awards, and appeared in a variety of publications including New York Times magazine, National Geographic, Newsweek, ESPN Magazine, Men’s Journal, LIFE, and Fast Company.

McNally’s advertising, marketing and promotional work includes Nikon, Sony, Land’s End, MetLife, Bogen, Haggin Marketing, Lifetime, AGA Marketing, Kelby Media Group, Wildlife Conservation Society, American Ballet Theatre, Coleman, and FedEx, to name a few.

Bert Monroy

Author and Contributing Columnist

Bert Monroy is considered one of the pioneers of digital art. His work has been seen in many magazines and scores of books. … read more » He has served on the faculty of many well known institutions, lectured around the world, written many books and appeared on hundreds of TV shows. Bert hosts a weekly podcast called Pixel Perfect for Revision3.com.

He co-authored The Official Adobe Photoshop Handbook, the first book on Photoshop plus many other books since. His latest books, Photoshop Studio with Bert Monroy: Digital Painting has gotten critical acclaim around the world. Bert writes a column for Photoshop User and Layers magazines.

Bert serves a client list that includes Apple Computer, Adobe Systems, AT&T, American Express, Pixar Animation, Disney Animation and Lockheed/Martin. Bert has also worked in the motion picture industry for Industrial Light and Magic, Pacific Data Images, and R/Greenberg.

In 2004, Bert was inducted into the Photoshop Hall of Fame.

Chris Orwig

Pro photographer, Interactive Designer, Author

Chris Orwig is a pro photographer, interactive designer, author and on the faculty of the renowned Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, CA. Moreover, he brings unique perspective, creativity, authenticity and passion to all that he does … read more ». His publications include of a number of best-selling training titles at Lynda.com: Enhancing Digital Photography with Adobe Photoshop CS & CS2, Photoshop CS3 for Photographers: Essentials Training, Photoshop CS3 for Photographers: Creative Techniques, Photoshop Lightroom Essentials and more! Out of all of these creative endeavors, one of Chris’ favorites is having the opportunity to speak at various national and international Photoshop and Interactive design conferences.

Chris traces his creative roots to growing up in Northern California where his backyard opened up to rolling hills, oak trees and creeks. Chris grew up in a home that was designed/built by his father and filled with art created by his mother. From the get go this environment nurtured in him an insatiable desire for discovery, a knack for creativity and a desire to live a full and meaningful life!

Chris’ work is widely sought after and can be seen in various national publications. He enjoys a diverse and varied client base having worked with companies like Disney, Adobe, Nissan and others. Chris is extremely proud to partner with Adobe, Epson, Wacom, Nik Multimedia, onOne Software and Really Right Stuff. More importantly, Chris approaches design and photography as a way to get more out of life. As he explains, “I subscribe to Marc Riboud’s perspective that ‘Photography is savoring life at one hundredth of a second.’ When I create a photograph or a design piece I strive to create visual poetry. Poets are able to say in 10 words what novelists say in 10,000. Ultimately, after reading a poem, we simply do not have more information we have more experience. In the same way, I aim to distill idea, concept, vision, experience and emotion into poetic, provoking, intriguing and beautiful imagery.”

For more information visit chrisorwig.com

Moose Peterson

Wildlife Photographer, Author, and Educator

A Nikon Legend Behind the Lens, Lexar Elite Photographer, recipient of the John Muir Conservation Award, Research Associate with the Endangered Species Recovery Program, published in over 130 magazines worldwide, author of 23 books, and … read more » lecturing across the country to thousands upon thousands of photographers barely covers the work and goals of wildlife photographer Moose Peterson. One of the original Nikon shooters to receive the D1 in 1999, Moose embraced this new technology becoming the only wildlife photographer in the world to shoot strictly digital in the early years. A beta site for all the major hardware and software manufacturers, Moose continues his main goal of photographing the life history of North America’s endangered wildlife and wild places using the latest tools. Creative innovation of new techniques, both behind the camera and the computer, is the driving force behind his photography and goals.

Jack Reznicki

Commercial Photographer and Author

Jack Reznicki is a commercial photographer specializing in people and children based in New York City. His creative problem solving has helped promote products and services for many companies such as Tylenol, The Wall Street Journal, Hyatt, … read more »Toys “R” Us, Kodak, Reader’s Digest, Crest, AT&T, Playtex, and several Time Magazine covers.

Jack is the author of several books on commercial photography including “Studio and Commercial Photography- A Kodak Pro Workshop” book.

For over 4 years, Jack’s insights to professional photography could be found in Petersen’s Photographic magazine with his popular “Pro Vision” column. His writings have also appeared in other photography magazines.

Believing that photographers should be pro-active in the photo community, Jack is currently the Chairman of the Board and former President of Professional Photographers of America (PPA). Previously, Jack has served as President of the New York Chapter of Advertising Photographers of America (APA), sat on the Joint Ethics Committee in New York, and served as Board Member of ASMP/NY.

Along with many other awards, Jack was very proud to receive the IPC (International Photographic Council) Leadership medal for “Excellence in Studio Photography” at the United Nations. Jack was appointed a guest professor at Shandong University of Art and Design in Jinan. Jack is also a Mo-Tse Grand Master Photographer in China and proud to be named a Honorary Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Professional Photography.

He is one of the original “Canon Explorers of Light” an “Epson Stylus Pros” and host of the Epson Print Academy’s Track One, and a Sandisk “Photo Master”. Jack has also does Beta testing and consulting with Canon, Epson, Mamiya, Microsoft, X-Rite, Leaf digital backs, and Adobe.

Andrew Rodney

Author and Trainer

Andrew is owner of The Digital Dog, a digital imaging training and consulting business located in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Andrew Rodney, aka the Digital Dog, has successfully provided services and training … read more » to photographers, designers, print shops, government agencies, as well as fortune 1000 companies since 1993. Andrew has written in the following publications: PDN, Publish, Photoshop User, Digital Photo Pro, Electronic Publishing, Digital Output, MacWeek, and Professional Photographer. Andrew is the author of Color Management for Photographers, Hands on Techniques for Photoshop Users”published by Focal Press. He lectures around the country on many aspects of digital imaging and color management. The Digital Dog is devoted to the understanding and adoption of color management.

Andrew has been a Beta for Adobe Photoshop since version 2.5 and is currently an Alpha tester for Adobe Systems. Andrew is one of the principle partners of Pixel Genius LLC, a company that has created such products as PhotoKit and PhotoKit-Sharpener. Andrew was named a “Top 40 Photoshop Expert” by Wacom Technologies. In 2007, Andrew was inducted into the NAPP Photoshop Hall of Fame. Andrew’s web site can be found at www.digitaldog.net.

Jeff Schewe

Advertising Photographer and Consultant

Jeff Schewe is the co-author of Real World Camera Raw with Adobe Photoshop CS3 published by Adobe Press/Peachpit and a member of the NAPP Photoshop Hall of Fame. … read more »An award-winning advertising photographer by trade, he is known as a digital pioneer and has been a long term alpha/beta tester for Photoshop, Camera Raw and Lightroom. Jeff is also a founding partner in PixelGenius, LLC makers of the PhotoKit™ line of plug-ins. He is the editor in chief of PhotoshopNews.com.

Fay Sirkis

Portrait Artist, Photographer, and Instructor

Fay Sirkis is an internationally recognized portrait artist, photographer, and instructor. She speaks at training conferences and events throughout the US and Europe. … read more »

Fay’s studio is in New York and she is a contemporary digital artist with a background in traditional fine art. Fay attended the Pratt School of Professional Studies in New York City where she became certified in Graphic and Web Design. Fay also attended Rockhurst College CE in New York City where she earned her certification in printing and pre-press.

Fay has been honored by Canon as a “Canon Print Master” and her paintings are featured in numerous Canon marketing campaigns. Fay currently trains for Canon at conferences and trade-shows throughout the US.

Fay is a Painter Master, Beta tester, and on the Advisory Committee for Corel Painter. She was instrumental in the launching of Painter IX and X. Her work is featured in Corel’s Painter Masters Art Gallery, as well as their numerous ad campaigns.

Fay is a member of the Photoshop World Conference & Expo “Dream Team” of instructors, produced by the National Association of Photoshop Professional’s. Her tutorial on “Photo Painting” with Photoshop and Corel Painter was the featured article at Photoshop World Boston in 2007, and in Photoshop User Magazine. She is best known for her simplistic way of teaching, making the learning curve in the digital world easy to master.

Her commissioned portraits and paintings are held in private collections internationally, and also exhibited in museums and art galleries. Fay is the founder of “Fays Art Studio,” a high-end commission portrait painting studio, as well as a digital art training and consulting firm based in New York.

An accomplished Portrait Artist, Photographer, and Instructor, Fay Sirkis provides her students with simple recipe’s to transform photos into beautiful paintings! Learn how to paint like a Master with Fay Sirkis as she shares the secrets and techniques behind her signature style of “Photo Painting”.

To see more of Fay’s work, please visit www.faysartstudio.com.

Alan Hess

Concert photographer, writer, instructor

Alan Hess is a San Diego-based commercial photographer specializing in concert and live-event photography. … read more »

He has photographed hundreds of concerts three songs at a time. From small club shows to big arenas, Alan enjoys the fast pace of shooting on the fly, the rush of the house lights going down, and the drive to capture the “show” in the images of first three songs.

Some of the Bands/Musicians that Alan has photographed include: Billy Idol, Bob Weir and RatDog, Bruce Hornsby, Citizen Cope, The Dead, Death Cab for Cutie, Derek Trucks Band, The Grateful Dead, Jackie Greene, John Legend, Mickey Hart Band, Robin Williams, Shepard Fairey, The Smashing Pumpkins, Steel Pulse, Widespread Panic, and Willie Nelson.

Alan’s work has been published online and in print in the following outlets: Associatedcontent.com, Bruuce.com, Dead.net, Glidemagazine.com, Jambands.com, Jambase.com, MarkKaran.com, MiaBrazilia.com, Poughkeepsie Journal, Mill Valley Herald, Otherones.net, Pauserecord.com, Philzone.com, Ranch & Coast Magazine, Rat-dog.com, Ratdog.org, Relix Magazine and Vintage Guitar Magazine. His images have been used for various CDs and other promotional work.

Alan is currently the house photographer for a large concert venue in southern California and when he isn’t out shooting concerts, he is writing photography books.

He has written two books on Sony DSLR cameras, the “Sony Alpha A700 Digital Field Guide,” and the “Sony Alpha A200 Digital Field Guide,” and is currently working on the “Exposure Digital Field Guide,” all for Wiley Publishing. Alan has contributed to Photoshop User magazine and is a key contributor to the Lexar.com website.

Alan teaches Lightroom and Bridge workflow at Essy’s Studio in San Diego, and writes a regular blog at www.alanhessphotography.com.

Eddie Tapp

Photographer, Lecturer, Consultant, and Author

Eddie Tapp is an award-winning photographer, lecturer, consultant, and author on digital imaging issues. With over 25 years of experience in computer technology, Eddie has been actively involved in educating and consulting corporations, studios and agencies … read more » in the applications of digital imaging workflow, color management, pre-press and digital photography globally through workshops, seminars, on-site consulting and training. He’s the author of Photoshop Workflow Setups and Practical Color Management, the first two in a series, Eddie Tapp on Digital Photography, published by O’Reilly Media.

Eddie is Director of the Institute of Visual Arts in Maui, Hawaii, an Explorer of Light and Print Master with Canon USA, and is on the Photoshop “Dream Team” with National Association of Photoshop Professional where he was recently inducted into the “Photoshop Hall of Fame”. He served 6 years as the Chairman of the Committee on Digital and Advanced Imaging for the Professional Photographers of America, where he holds the Master of Photography, Master of Electronic Imaging, and Photographic Craftsman degrees, Approved Photographic Instructor and is a Certified Professional Photographer. He also served as Commercial Council representative to PPA for the Georgia PPA. His articles have appeared in the Professional Photographer, Rangefinder, Shutterbug, Photo Electronic Imaging, and Southern Exposure & Digital Capture. He also has served on the Adobe Photoshop beta team.

Corporate clients include Epson, Eastman Kodak, Foveon, Polaroid, and Apple Computer, as well as many other international corporations and government agencies.  He has also served as print judge at many professional photographic competitions and is a Nationally Qualified Juror for the Professional Photographers of America association in Electronic Imaging.

Eddie hails from Atlanta, Georgia and has been accused of using his southern charm to put his students at ease. His teaching philosophy is simple: solve people’s problems by giving them straightforward answers in clear language. Visit www.eddietapp.com

Vincent Versace

Photographer, Trainer, and Contributing Columnist

Vincent Versace is a recipient of the Computerworld Smithsonian Award in Media Arts & Entertainment and the Shellenberg fine art award, a six-time nominee to the Photoshop Hall of Fame … read more » and the best-selling author of Welcome to Oz a Cinematic Approach Digital Still Photography with Photoshop. His work is part of the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum of American History. Vincent was the original host of the Epson Print Academy. He is the photographer of Immediate Assistants Medical Rescue Go team and one of the members of the photographic team of Eco-Challenge. He was commissioned by the San Francisco Presidio National Park to create a permanent collection of art for the park. He is an American Photo Magazine Mentor Trek instructor. and has led photographic workshops to San Francisco, Burma, Vietnam, India, Morocco, Costa Rica, Santa Fe, Egypt, Cambodia, Mongolia and Australia. Vincent is former member of the board of directors of Los Angeles chapter of the American Photographers Association and is also a member of the National Association of Photoshop Professionals “Instructor Dream Team” and teaches regularly at Photoshop World as well as being a regular instructor for the US Navy Combat Camera School, the Maine Photographic Workshops, Santa Fe Photographic and Palm Beach Photographic Workshops. He is a founding member of the Epson Stylus Pros, Xrite Colorotti, Lexar Elite Photographers and a Nikon Legeond Behind the Lens. He is the former artist in residence for Altamira Group and former consultant to the president of Kodak’s Digital & Applied Imaging Group. Vincent is able to leap tall buildings in a single bound and on the weekends is a part-time super-hero and short-order cook.

Terry White

Technical Resources Manager, Adobe Systems, Inc.

Terry White- Director, North America Creative Pro Technical Sales for Adobe Systems, Inc. Terry has been with Adobe for over a decade and has extensive knowledge of Adobe’s Creative Professional product line. … read more »

In his current position, he leads a team of Solution Engineers and Product Specialists that focus on Professional Publishing, Web Authoring and Digital Video/Audio. Terry is an Adobe Certified Expert and Creative Suite Master. He has been active in the industry for over 20 years and is the founder and president of MacGroup-Detroit - Michigan’s largest Macintosh users group and is a columnist for Layers magazine and X-Ology Magazine. Terry is the host of the top ranked Adobe Creative Suite Video Podcast. He is also the author of Secrets of the Adobe Bridge and co-author of The iPhone Book and InDesign CS/CS2 Killer Tips. Terry is a key presenter at major industry shows around the world.

Ben Willmore

Author, and Instructor

Ben Willmore is author of the award-winning, best-selling book, Adobe Photoshop Studio Techniques and co-author of another bestseller, How to Wow: Photoshop for Photography … read more ». His hit seminars, “Photoshop Mastery” and “Photoshop for Photographers”, have established Ben as one of America’s favorite Photoshop instructors. He has personally helped over 30,000 design and photography professionals make the transition from blindly following step-by-step techniques, to “Aha! I finally GET Photoshop!” His breakthrough teaching style of “not-just-how-but-why,” has made Ben the in-house instructor of choice for companies such as Mercedes Benz, Adobe Systems, America Online, and Fisher-Price. He’s a member of the Dream Team for the National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP), a featured speaker at design and photography conferences in America, England ,and Australia, and writes for numerous digital imaging publications, including a monthly column for Photoshop User magazine. In 2004, Ben was inducted into the Photoshop Hall of Fame.

David Ziser

Photographer, Lecturer, and Trainer

David Ziser, an internationally-renowned wedding photographer, has shared his knowledge with tens of thousand’s of photographers in five languages and in 14 countries worldwide. Studio Photography acclaimed … read more »

I’ve met many people over the years and have made Lifelong friends.

The very first friend was Scott Kelby himself.  We met when Scott, Rob Kerr, Jim Workman  and a few others were giving a special one day “Money Back Guarantee” seminar on Photoshop. I took the class because I just opened my own Karate studio and the budget was too tight to hire a graphic artist. I remember sitting in a class with about 30 people memorized by Kelby and Kerr. I instinctively kept raising my hand asking questions. They were very patient and answered them. The second one day seminar they made an announcement to hold all questions until the break and then come see the instructor. I was the first one there. After awhile people would ask me to ask questions for them; they were too embarrassed to ask.  Scott started to recognize my face and I could tell it was bittersweet. Happy to see a devoted fan, but dreaded the questions. During one of the breaks Scott and I started talking and the martial arts came up. He mention he helped a martial arts client; who later became his instructor, launch a magazine called NAPMA – National Association of Professional Martial Artists. Not sure how it happen, but the  next one day seminar, Scott said he didn’t realize I was a martial arts master. I told him I hated that term (there is only one master I know). I was glad Scott befriended me as Robert Vanelli not Mr. Vanelli the former champion. It was always hard knowing who your true friends are when you are in the spotlight. He was excited to announce the first Photoshop World. I’ve been attending them ever since.

A connection that landed an unexpected job.

I met Ross Bushong while attending the L.A. Photoshop World in 2002. As usual, I was lost finding the convention. I heard a voice say, “hey the convention is over here, follow me.” From that day on, Ross and I became great friends. Although Ross lives in Washington State, we manage to talk several times a week. We room together when he attends Photoshop Worlds. In 2006 our families finally met as we flew to Washington State to celebrate Thanksgiving together. A few years later Ross asked me if I was interested in working with him on a web site project for a company he worked for; Cadwell Labs. It was a rewarding experience working along side him!

Hanging out with HOLLYWOOD on the set of N.C.I.S.

For those who know Mike Kubeisy knows he is HOLLYWOOD. The number of shows Mike photographs for is too long to post. Just looking at his photo gallery will give you an idea how this man shoots Hollywood! I’ve met Mike over the years at Photoshop World and didn’t realize the extent of his skills. Mike doesn’t brag or rub his success in your face. Watching the gag C.S.I. Photoshop World opening video I commented how the set looked so real. Mike said they actually shot on the set of C.S.I.. I asked how did Kelby manage to pull that off. Mike just smiled and said Scott has friends. Later Scott told me it was Mike’s connections that enabled them to shoot on the set. Mike’s character and core spiritual values make it easy to call him a great friend. His sense of humor and practical jokes makes it easy to call him my brother! Mike phoned one day and asked if I heard what Terry White did for Scott’s birthday. Being the tech gadget-man Terry is, he flew to Scott’s home and spent the weekend connecting gadgets to more gadgets. Mike said his birthday was coming up soon and asked me what I was planning on getting him. He said if I didn’t get him anything yet, how about doing what Terry did for Scott and fly out here. We both laughed and I was on a plane to L.A. the following week. Mike paid for the trip and I had a blast setting up his web site and connecting all of his gadgets. Mike took his boys and me on the set of N.C.I.S.. Watching Mike work was an eye opener for me. The way the man’s mind thinks about the shot and waste no time getting it was a valuable lesson for me. I was just setting up the shot in my head and Mike was already done!  On that trip we also connected with Ben Willmore and did shoot with him. I also was able to meet up with the ever inspiring Vincent Versace. Mike told me after he dropped me off at the airport he text Larry Becker and told him he loved hanging with me but it’s exhausting. He later texted he was rested but he missed Vanelli!

Meet inspirational mentors at the Portfolio Review & The Art of Digital Photography.

The Who’s Who of Photoshop and Photography are the seminar instructors. The best part, they are available for you to talk to for free! Years ago, Scott introduced me to my inspirational mentor, Vincent Versace. Vinny took me aside and reviewed my projects. He was harsh. He looked at my projects and ripped them apart. He said the photography was terrible. I made the mistake of saying I wasn’t a photographer. Back then, I would hire a photographer and I would do the ad layouts. Vinny looked at me with that stern stare and said why are you wasting your time and  mine!  I didn’t know what to do. On the plane ride home, I realized he was telling me to become a photographer! So I did. The next Photoshop World, I approached him and before  I could speak he asked what are you. I replied, “I’m a photographer“. He smiled and said, great show me your stuff. The past Photoshop Worlds not everyone had the unforgettable opportunity to meet their inspirational mentor like I did. Now at Photoshop World you can attend a free portfolio review. Helene Glassman helps organize the portfolio review. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get one-on-one instructive feedback as your portfolio is reviewed by some of the most highly acclaimed professional photographers in the industry today. If you did not register ahead for the portfolio review, you can still attend The Art of Digital Photography. This is a night of pure magic. It’s where some of the world’s leading digital photographers come together, on one stage, for an evening that you’ll be talking about for years.

The Expo and Bonus Classes saved me from a costly mistake.

I love walking around the Expo seeing what’s new in the industry. Chatting with vendors and getting their advice. Many years ago; before desktop publishing became popular, I almost spent a small fortune on a printer that created printing plates. I came across a vendor that told me that technology will soon to be outdated. I thought he was just trying to sell me on his product. I asked around and found he was right. I purchased my first large format printer, an Encad, instead. I saved over $1,500.00 and the embarrassment  of making a financial blunder. Years later, I talked with Epson and HP at the Expo. I compared the two products side by side and was able to make an informative decision on which new large format printer I wanted. Also at the Expo are the bonus classes. These are free classes you can attend in between the seminar classes.

There are many extra benefits from attending Photoshop World, but I will leave you with these for now. I do want to say thank you to Scott Kelby. He has been at the heart of all the opportunities I’ve had. Scott’s unselfishness to share made it possible for me to meet with these talented people.

On June 29, 2009 I had the honor to be a guest blogger for Scott Kelby. I have re posted the article here on our web site.  I want to thank Terry Reinert and Sandy Foster for their valuable input.

Before I begin I want to thank Scott for including me as one of the weekly guest bloggers on his blog. To say it’s an honor for being one of the 52 guests he has per year is an understatement! You wouldn’t really think that being a guest blogger for Scott is an intimidating task until you are given the opportunity. Only then does the truth of the matter come out! I myself, a man of many words, struggled with what I should talk about and who I should target my post for. Then I remembered the KISS method; Keep It Simple Silly. For the more complex theories and techniques, I will guide you to the experts that I pull my inspiration and knowledge from. Please don’t mistake this for name dropping for shameless plugs for my friends… As they say, “it takes a village to raise a child”. In this case the saying would be “a community of artists draws inspiration”!

Title: Creative Ways to Mass Produce a Photo Shoot

There are many different types of photo shoots that a photographer can do. Although the concept of photography in general is the same, each area within photography comes with its own set of rules that have been predetermined by photographers, editors, and clients throughout the past. It is up to each individual photographer to determine which rules to follow and which ones to break in order to achieve your goal. Our goal here is to create a template that can be reused to get the same results. I am not talking about an Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Lightroom template but a template that takes us from Click to Print. The final output from our Click to Print Template will be package printing; wallet size, 5×7, 8×10, 10×13 and 16×20, all from the same print without compromising our creativeness.

The major steps that we will complete in this project are 1) doing the mass photo shoot, 2) applying any post processing, and 3) send the images off to a lab. Yes, I said a lab. In the past I did it all which included the printing, packaging, and shipping. I wanted to learn the entire process and offer custom sizes. I also wanted the ability to fix anything I screwed up in the shot! I recommend completing a full scope project like this on your own a few times so that you can gain the insight in each area of the process so that you can mitigate any risks or problems for future projects. But I know that some people do not have the ability to create high quality prints themselves so that is what this whole post is about; giving you some of that insight to help you mitigate your risks without having to drop a ton of time and money on new equipment.

Prior to diving into the details of what I am going to explain I want to tell you a quick story that shows the usefulness of what I am going to tell you. I had an opportunity to photograph one of the most sought after high school football players, a young kid named JJ Keels. My game plan seemed pretty simple; I wanted to capture his humble demeanor but at the same time make him look like a tough college level player. Another intention of the shoot was to experiment with lighting in stages and to develop a tutorial on it. At first, I took the standard safe portrait shots. Then I had my assistant, Terry Reinert, spray JJ down with water to get that sweaty tough look. Then we took it another step further into the experimental range by spraying water in the path of the lights to create the images you see here. After the shoot, I used Adobe Photoshop to continue creating my vision and also to experiment even more. Once I had the format down, I took notes on what I would do different on the next shoot so I wouldn’t have to spend a day in Adobe Photoshop for the next one. Take note, if I took on this shoot with 60 football players waiting in line, I would have to edit 60 additional images to get the results I got. There is no way that I could have done that without having done a test shoot first and got my game plan together. The test shoot enabled me to develop a format that I can use to mass produce the same type shot in the future. I was also able to develop a predefined lighting system to use as a starting point for other shoots.

Doing the Mass Photo Shoot

Running a karate studio gives me a huge pool of talent to pull from for my photography experiments. I am never limited on subjects to try out my ideas on. I emphasize the words try out because you are doing just that; experimenting to determine what will work for your upcoming mass photo shoot. Find someone that can benefit from your time and energy for your test shoot. Explain that this is a test shoot and you are experimenting with different lighting configurations and poses. In return for their help, you can provide them with the photo package that you create or put the images on a CD for them. This practice is generally known as a TFP (Time For Prints). Use your neighbors, friends or family members but I do recommend not using children or someone who is overly shy because you will need to focus on the photography side of the experiment and you won’t want to take on the added worry of dealing with your subject. Another good source for test subjects is networking websites like Model Mayhem or One Model Place. Look for upcoming models that can’t afford to pay for a portfolio and ask them if they would like to participate in your experiment and receive portfolio pieces. Word of caution, have an assistant or an escort with you when dealing with strangers for both personal and legal reasons. It pays to be safe!

Regardless of who you use as your test subject, make sure you have them sign a model release form. Ed Greenberg and Jack Reznicki teach a class at Photoshop World called, “Everything Legal”. In this class they explain the legal aspect of photography including model release forms and copyrighting your images. You can also read their column in Photoshop User Magazine. In short, Jack gave an example of a photographer doing a free shoot for a friend’s neighbor. In exchange for the shoot, they get a set of photos and the photographer gets to use the images on his web site. He didn’t have them sign a model release form because it was a free shoot. Everything was fine until the couple divorced. After that they asked him to remove the photos from his web site. The photographer doesn’t have a leg to stand on. Another area Ed explains is why you want to copyright ALL your images. These two are a great resource for legal advice. Jack is also an incredible photographer by the way! Check out his portfolio.

So now you have your test subject and are ready to begin the photo shoot. The first thing that you have to do is keep an open mind. Have a game plan but be flexible and also be ready to change it. The next important thing that you should adhere to is to avoid the pitfall of filling the whole frame with your image. Moose Peterson just had a heart attack; did Vanelli just say NOT to fill the frame??? Moose has an incredible ability to capture what he sees without cropping. He fills the frame using every pixel the camera will allow. This is what we are suppose to do and should do except on this project. After the test shots with JJ, I was ready to try a mock shoot with Brad Holmes, one of my Black Belts. I learned from the test shoot that I had to shoot a little wide to give me room to crop the image to different aspect ratios needed to create the photo package. Keep in mind that we are losing pixels which will eventually result in loss of image quality. However, the loss in quality is not enough to make a difference on the standard package sizes. You may see a slight difference on a 24×36 print but prints that large are extremely rare for photo packages.

Finally, be consistent with the composition of the shot, the pose, and the special effects. Things like fog machines, spraying water into the path of the light, and, in the case of shooting my karate students, kicking or punching are impossible to repeat for each subject. For custom shoots you should be the artist that you are and go crazy with the creativity. For mass shoots you should be creative but also a little flexible in that you can be creative but also consistent.

Once I was happy with the results I was seeing in the camera, I acted like I had 60 people standing in line waiting for their turn in front of the camera. I put pressure on myself to get the shot and move on. This is very important especially when dealing with subjects that have limited time to be at the photo shoot.

Applying Any Post Processing

My first word of advice here is to use Adobe Lightroom! This part gets confusing to most people. If I have Adobe Photoshop, why do I need Adobe Lightroom? Think of Lightroom as a digital darkroom where you go to develop your digital photos. Photoshop’s purpose is to manipulate the image. Lightroom not only organizes your photographs and projects but it allows you to quickly and efficiently post process your photos.

I always start my Lightroom work flow by following a series of simple steps I learned from the Guru himself, Scott Kelby. His book “Lightroom 2 for Digital Photographers” has a permanent spot on my desk. When I can’t quickly find what I need, I log onto Kelby Training and watch the Lightroom videos. For this article I outlined my steps below. For a more detailed look at my work flow I created a video tutorial for you to follow along.

1)     Import all images from the shoot in DNG format.

2)     Select the keepers and delete the unusable shots.

3)     Color correct one image and, if the lighting is the same, apply it to all the images from the same shoot.

4)     Adjust the exposure.

5)     Fix the eyes.

6)     Remove any skin blemishes.

7)     Smooth the skin on females.

8)     Export image in Photoshop

9)     Add a vignette, if any, at the very end (more on this later)

Looks like a lot? It should only take about 45 seconds per image. David Ziser, best known for his outstanding wedding photography, developed a system with his employees. He is able to tell you how much each image cost him to have his employees process them. Once you get a system to work for you, use it!

On step 8 above we export to Photoshop. Now we are into the Mack Daddy of all imaging programs (sorry Rod Harlan for using your well deserved nickname but it was for a worthy cause). Photoshop has grown so much over the years and has developed into an overwhelming program for beginners. I remember working with version 2.0. I must have called Adobe Tech Support three times a day. Finally one patient technician told me that their support system is for when the program didn’t work and not for learning how to do something. I asked how I was supposed to learn this stuff. He turned me on to KW Media. KW stood for… Kelby and Workman. I wish I knew the name of that technician. I’d bring flowers to the insane asylum I probably sent him to. The moral of this story is save an Adobe technician and go to Photoshop World.

Once I import my photograph with the Lightroom adjustments, I open a template I created; merge the two files together, and save the photograph using the same name that you imported it with. Showing how I created the template is beyond this article but I do have a video that shows the process. Using this process organizes the files better in Lightroom.

Send Images Off to the Lab

The last stage in the process is to crop the images and get them off to the lab. I use a Nikon camera that has a native 2/3 ratio. This gives me an 8×12 image that, when cropped, will keep my project centered. Upload the image to your lab of choice. Use their tool for cropping the package sizes. Remember back in my work flow I left the vignette until the very end?  This is why; if you apply a vignette to the original image the outcome will not be what you are looking for when you go to crop the image. If you need to apply a vignette, use the printing lab’s tool for that. If you are printing the project yourself, start with the 8×12 print and crop from there. Each time you crop, save the image and then start with the 8×12 again. Don’t crop and then crop the crop. This will throw your ratios off. You’ll notice certain sizes crop even such as wallets (2.5×3.5) and 5×7 or 8×10 and 16×20. To make printing this package easier, use the built in picture package feature in Lightroom. If you use this feature, you don’t have to crop, the picture package will do it for you and the vignette will look consistent.

Printing is an art by itself. In my case it pays to have Miller’s Lab do my printing and packaging for me. The cost is very reasonable and the quality is impressive. I have an Epson 9800. I can print as wide as 44″ by almost any length. Although the printer can do mass printing, I use it for my proofs and for large scale one print projects. Anything in quantity, use a lab. It takes a large load off of me and allows me to spend more time doing what I would rather be doing than sitting next to my printer cutting and packaging images.

Last Word of Advice: Game Day!

You have everything set. The lights are on, battery is charged and now you are ready for the first subject. Before any participant steps in front of your camera, make sure they filled out an order form, signed model release form, and made their payment ahead of time. Your assistant can collect them one at a time. After you take the shot, record the photograph number on the subjects order form. This way you are not scrambling to put a name to a face. Play music, be pleasant, and have fun with what you are doing. If something goes wrong you will have the knowledge to fix it on the fly; that’s what the test photo shoot was for! When the day is over, follow the Lightroom and Photoshop work flow. Make sure you keep a back up of all the photos just in case something goes wrong!

I mentioned having an assistant at the shoots quite a few times. I am a firm believer that every photographer should have someone assisting them on shoots. This frees your time to be creative and the assistant will gain valuable knowledge. My assistant, Terry Reinert, is more of a colleague than an assistant. When Terry has a shoot lined up, he sometimes asks me to assist him. When I do, I keep my mouth shut and let him run the show. I only give advice when asked. I’ve developed this concept while teaching karate for the past 28 years. It turns students into instructors, helps them grow, and develops a tight bond. One of my most memorable photo shoots, using this theory, was when I was in Los Angeles visiting Mike Kubeisy. Ben Willmore heard I was in town and made a special trip to see us. How incredible it was to shoot with these two creative shooters. We took turns assisting each other on the shoot. I learned so much from keeping my mouth shut and ears open. Thanks Dad for teaching me that one!

Conclusion

So there you have it, from Click to Print. I hope that I was able to give some insight into each of the steps that will guide you in the right direction when doing a mass photo shoot. I mentioned many names in the article in the hopes you will research these talented artists and draw inspiration from them. Thank you for reading and thank you again to Scott for this great opportunity.

Congrats to Scott for a job well done! Best of luck in the finals!

Bike Path - By Scott Larson

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