Alright, I know I have pretty much fallen off the face of the earth lately and I apologize for that. Unfortunately there are have been some non-business things going on in my life recently that have diverted my focus elsewhere. However I am back on the road this week in San Jose, CA for the Adobe Community Summit.

That’s right, I’m at the “Mother Ship” for an entire week! I’ll post photos and some blog entries when possible. That’s all for now, I have to get ready for the welcome reception. I just wanted to let everyone know I didn’t disappear and reassure you that I will be back in full-swing shortly. Thank you for your patience and understanding in these somewhat difficult times.

That’s right folks, I am back on the road. This time I’m in Baton Rouge, LA to present my Photoshop Power Techniques Seminar. The good thing about this trip is that I drove myself down here (all 8 hours of it), so I didn’t have to deal with the usual airline hassles. The bad thing is that this is putting me even more behind on my projects (blog, podcasts, etc.).

I am currently working on two new articles for the blog, multiple podcast episodes, and also developing some new training content for Total Training as well. Be looking for that material to roll out in the coming weeks. I just wanted to give you guys a quick update on what’s going on with me, and let you know why there might be “radio silence” here on the blog for a while. I’ll post photos and a wrap-up of my seminar sometime this week as well. Have a great week everyone!

The Creative Suite Conference is headed for Music City! This four-day event will be held at the Sheraton Hotel in downtown Nashville, TN. The conference will be jam-packed with top-level instructors like Jack Davis, Mordy Golding, Colin Smith, and many others. The price of admission isn’t exactly cheap, but for four days of instruction, I’d say it’s pretty close to fair. Here’s a little overview of what you can expect at the conference:

THE CREATIVE SUITE CONFERENCE (Courtesy of Mongo Media)
Nashville, Tennessee — May 19-22, 2008

The Creative Suite Conference is the premiere event for designers using Adobe Creative Suite. World-renowned experts will deliver in-depth sessions covering print-based, web, and mobile workflows, as well as XML and cross-media solutions. Whether you’re looking to create reliable PDF documents or deliver interactive Flash or AJAX enabled websites, this is the place to be.

Expand your creativity — In the deadline-driven office, you don’t have time to experiment with your designs. The Creative Suite Conference offers the perfect medium for you to learn new creative tools and techniques and develop new ideas on how to implement your creativity. More importantly, learn how to inject more fun into what you love to do!

Increase your productivity — How often do you work on a project and mumble to yourself “there has to be a better way”? There usually is. At the Creative Suite Conference, renowned experts share their valuable real-world experience and time-saving techniques. The result? A more efficient and productive workflow for you and your team.

Collaborate with professionals — The Creative Suite Conference delivers the unique opportunity to interact with like-minded creative professionals and industry leaders. Expand your own creative network and get valuable advice from authors and experts. Most importantly, let your voice be heard as a part of the ultimate creative community!

SUBJECTS COVERED IN THE CONFERENCE
Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Acrobat Professional, Adobe Flash, Adobe Dreamweaver, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Premiere Pro, video workflows, mobile, CSS, AJAX, HTML, cross-media workflows, typography, layout, styles, PDF, XML, and more! ! See the conference schedule for a complete listing of sessions and descriptions.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
Graphic Designers, Business Communicators, Prepress Professionals, Art Directors, Creative Directors, Web designers

If you’re in or around the Nashville area, you should definitely try to make this event. I’ll be there (although I’m not sure in what capacity yet), and I hope to see you there too! For more information check out the Conference Information Page.

“The Lightroom 1.4.1 and Camera Raw 4.4.1 updates have been posted to the following locations: Lightroom (Mac, Win), Camera Raw (Mac, Win). The updates provide all of the changes included in the original Lightroom 1.4 and Camera Raw 4.4 releases but also include corrections for issues described below and in previous blog posts. The Camera Raw plug-in will also be available later this evening via the Adobe Update Manager and the Lightroom update can be located by choosing ‘Check for Updates…’ under the Help menu. The Lightroom and Camera Raw team apologize for any inconveniences caused by the issues presented in the initial updates”

For more information on these updates check out Tom’s Full Post.

I realize that I’ve already reported on the release of the Lightroom 2.0 Public Beta, but I thought I would let you know that I’ve done a more expanded write-up on this program for my friends over at Photoshop Support. This article breaks down the new features of LR 2.0 and also gives you a few cool places to go for Beta training. You can check out the full article by visiting the Photoshop Support Website.

Press Release:SAN JOSE, Calif. — April 9, 2008 — Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced the immediate availability of Adobe® Media Player 1.0 software. An Adobe AIR™ application, this customizable, cross-platform media player provides exciting new ways for viewers to discover and interact with their favorite content, while offering revenue and brand-building opportunities for content publishers. Major television broadcasters and leading content publishers, including CBS, MTV Networks, Universal Music Group, PBS, CondéNet, and Scripps Networks have worked with Adobe to provide a broad range of television programming and entertaining video content to viewers.

Additionally, Adobe announced Adobe TV, a network in Adobe Media Player with a series of shows that provides expert instruction and original series programming about Adobe products to the worldwide creative community (see separate press release). Adobe Media Player is available for immediate download at http://www.adobe.com/go/mp .

“With Adobe Media Player, we’re bringing viewers and content owners closer together, with an experience that doesn’t constrain them by platform or proprietary software application,” said John Loiacono, senior vice president of Creative Solutions at Adobe. “It’s a merger of TV Guide and DVR for Internet video content. Some great shows, like The Hills from MTV and CSI from CBS, is already available to view and more will be coming soon.”

Broader Reach for Video Consumers
Adobe Media Player can provide high-quality playback of streamed, downloaded or locally-stored video in the Adobe Flash format. For the first time, consumers can download video outside the browser in the Adobe Flash format, which can be viewed in 1080p, 720p or 480i video display resolutions with the most advanced audio quality. Users can also subscribe to television shows and other online video content and then automatically receive new episodes of the shows as they become available. To help viewers discover new content, a broad, searchable catalog of shows from leading media companies and networks is available and it is expected that it will continually expand to include video from additional broadcasters, studios and independent producers. Some of the initial content available on Adobe Media Player includes: CSI: New York, CSI: Miami, Big Brother, Star Trek, Melrose Place, Hawaii Five-O, The Twilight Zone and MacGyver from CBS; clips from The Hills, MTV News and Yo! MTV Raps from MTV Networks; select shows on HGTV, Food Network, DIY Network and Fine Living Network from Scripps Networks; Epicurious.com, Style.com and Wired.com from CondéNet; PBS programming and music videos from Universal Music Group. Additional content from MTV Networks’ brands including MTV, Nickelodeon, COMEDY CENTRAL, VH1, CMT, Logo, Spike, The N, GameTrailers and Atom Films will be made available over the next several months.

“As the Internet has matured and video has become more and more popular, content owners are looking for new ways to connect with their audiences, both online and offline,” said Melissa Webster, vice president, IDC Content and Digital Media Technologies. “Audiences want a great playback experience, including streamed or downloaded high-quality video. At the same time, content owners need to protect and monetize their content via premium services or advertising. This is the opportunity that Adobe is addressing with Adobe Media Player.”

New Revenue Models for Content and Media Publishers
Adobe Media Player provides content owners and media publishers with new ways to distribute, measure and build businesses around video content. Unlike existing media players, Adobe Media Player enables viewers to subscribe to free content, giving them control to watch their favorite shows both online and offline. The player also offers next-generation offline monetization and branding options, including viewer-centric dynamic advertising for targeted marketing campaigns and the ability to customize the look and feel of the player to match the brand or theme of the video content. Adobe Media Player can also provide content publishers with anonymous measurement of content usage data, such as when and how often a video has been viewed, in addition to supporting protection options such as protected streaming, advertising protection and video DRM protection.

Adobe’s Growing Video Ecosystem
Leveraging Adobe’s Emmy® Award winning Flash® architecture, Adobe Media Player is a key part of Adobe’s ecosystem for the creation and delivery of next-generation broadcast entertainment. It complements and leverages other Adobe components, including: Adobe Flash Player; Adobe Flash CS3 Professional; Adobe Flash Media Server 3 software for streaming media applications; Adobe Flash Media Rights Management Server for content protection; Flash Lite™ mobile video playback technology; Adobe’s range of media authoring tools such as Adobe Creative Suite® 3 Production Premium software for video, audio and motion graphics production; and Adobe Media Encoder for compression and live streaming. Adobe Media Player is an Adobe AIR software application, a revolutionary cross-operating system runtime that brings rich Internet applications to the desktop.

Availability
Adobe Media Player is immediately available as a free download for Windows and Macintosh platforms from
http://www.adobe.com/go/mp

About Adobe Systems Incorporated
Adobe revolutionizes how the world engages with ideas and information - anytime, anywhere and through any medium. For more information, visit www.adobe.com .

Adobe has launched a brand new site called Adobe TV. This coincides with the release of the Adobe Media Player and provides several features based on the player as well. So what is Adobe TV? Well, it’s a collection of tutorials and informational videos related to various Adobe products (most notably the Creative Suite). The site has a very YouTube-like appearance and feel but is completely innovative and really illustrates how Adobe is progressing with the Web 2.0 movement.

When you get to the site you’ll notice there are different channels, each corresponding to a different aspect of creative media (photographer, designer, video professional, developer). You can also click on the program link which will take you to a listing of various programs that are currently running on Adobe TV. I’m happy to report that if you click the programs section and then select Total Training for Photoshop CS3, quite a few videos from Yours Truly appear on screen!

Once you select a video it will automatically begin to play in the player window. You also have the option to watch videos full-screen, rate images from 1-5 stars, and share the videos via email or by using an embed code that you can use to place the videos on your site and/or blog. All-in-all I was very impressed with what Adobe has done and I sincerely hope they continue with this, as it is an area that they’ve been lacking in for a while.

On April 17th I’ll be in Louisiana teaching my Photoshop Power Techniques Seminar to the Advertising Federation of Greater Baton Rouge. The seminar will be held in the fifth-floor conference room of the LSU Athletics Administration Building from 1-5PM and promises to be a fun learning experience for all. During this seminar attendees will get a mixture of both artistic and productivity techniques to optimize their Photoshop Workflow.

If you’re in the area, you should stop by! Members of the ADFED pay only $25, non-members may attend for $40, and students may attend for $15. For more information feel free to contact me or RSVP to Jason Feirman at (225) 578-1887.

According to NY Times Tech Guru Walt Mosberg, Apple will be releasing a 3G iPhone in 60 days. Check out the video above where Mosberg casually and confidently spills the beans about Apple’s new 3G device. Nobody really knows whether or not Walt was going off of recent internet rumors about the 3G iPhone or if he got it straight from Steve Jobs’ mouth, but I personally don’t think you can overlook this little slip of the tongue. Either way, Apple is going to have to do more than upgrade the iPhone to 3G to make me upgrade anytime soon, but for many this will be a much appreciated improvement. I’ll keep you updated as this story develops!

Update:
Mosberg has since retracted his statement according to Gizmodo.

A few months ago, I was invited to join a beta program for a site called Howcast.com. Normally I try to avoid getting wrapped up in that sort of thing, but I was in the market for a new way of distributing my videos online, so I decided to give it a shot. At first glance it seemed like any other video-sharing website, but upon closer inspection I quickly realized how valuable it was and how much it could help me enhance my educational material on the web.

As I said, I’ve been using Howcast for a few months now to distribute various episodes of my podcasts and I absolutely love it. The player is what seals the deal! Not only can you post your how-to video on their site (for free), but you can also add in steps, tips, and warnings to further enhance the educational quality of your videos. This is especially helpful when teaching software because it gives me the ability to throw in little tips and tricks along the way and also give warnings when I’m covering a subject that might not be compatible with certain versions of the software.

Another great aspect of Howcast is the ability to create and share wiki guides. I’ve written four wiki guides so far, and I have several new guides in the works as well. These guides allow you to write step-by-step tutorials (much the same way you add steps in your videos) and they also can incorporate images as well. This is great for software training because it gives users the information in an easy to follow format and also a visual reference to make sure everyone’s on the same page.

You’ll be seeing a lot more of Howcast on my websites over the next few months. I plan to distribute all of my podcasts and other videos exclusively with the Howcast player from now on. For more information about Howcast visit their website, and don’t forget to subscribe to my channel while you’re there!

That’s right folks, we’re already talking about the next installment of Adobe’s flagship image editor. Although the real juicy details are being kept tightly under wraps (thanks to Adobe’s NDA policies), we do now have some early news on what the next version of Photoshop will include.

You may remember that earlier this week Adobe was a part of the Photoshop World Conference keynote. During the keynote John Loiacona (Adobe’s Senior VP of the Creative Solutions Business Unit), gave a quick demonstration of some of the new features of CS4. The first feature he demonstrated was a non-destructive (highly-enhanced) dodge and burn tool. He stated that Adobe is looking to revamp the tools that imaging professionals use everyday and attempting to make them better and non-destructive to the underlying image.

The second (and final) feature shown by “Johny L” was the “True Edge” function which will be incorporated into the Refine Edge feature of Photoshop. True Edge basically helps to enhance the edges of your selection, keeping them true to the actual edge of the object you’re selecting and ensuring a more defined line between subject and background. Not much else was said about these features, but nonetheless it was a nice teaser for everyone.

In a recent blog post, Photoshop Product Manager John Nack spilled some more beans about the upcoming Adobe Application. On his blog John stated that the next version of Photoshop would be available in both 32-bit and 64-bit versions for Windows users, but Mac users would have to settle for a 32-bit version of CS4. So why do Mac users have to suffer? Well, John explained that too…

“At the WWDC show last June, however, Adobe & other developers learned that Apple had decided to stop their Carbon 64 efforts. This means that 64-bit Mac apps need to be written to use Cocoa (as Lightroom is) instead of Carbon. This means that we’ll need to rewrite large parts of Photoshop and its plug-ins (potentially affecting over a million lines of code) to move it from Carbon to Cocoa.”

It appears the Mac community can blame Apple for this trade-off… Sorry fan-boys! Either way, CS4 will undoubtedly be amazing and take image editing to yet another level. Unfortunately that’s all of the official news we have for now, but we can expect more as we get closer to the actual release date of the program.

Update:

Here is the video of the CS4 Sneak Peek that Adobe gave at the Photoshop World Keynote. This video appears courtesy of Rod Harlan’s Blog “DV Confidential“

Later today during the Photoshop World Keynote, Adobe is scheduled to announce the release of the Lightroom 2.0 Public Beta. Even though you have to wait for the keynote to hear the official announcement, the beta is already available from the Adobe Labs. I’m currently working with the new program and will have a full review and some videos ASAP.

Adobe lists the enhancements of Lightroom 2.0 as the following:

• Localized corrections — Enhance specific areas of an image for unsurpassed nondestructive flexibility and control reminiscent of the traditional darkroom dodge and burn experience.
• Improved organizational tools — Find the images you need quickly and easily.
• Multiple monitor support — Add an additional monitor to efficiently manage photographic workflow and presentation.
• Flexible print package functionality — Create custom layouts containing multiple sizes of a photograph on a single page.
• 64-bit support — Lightroom 2.0 now takes advantage of the latest hardware architectures with improved memory handling and performance.

If you’re already a licensed Lightroom 1.0 user, you can simply enter in your 1.0 serial number to activate and use the beta for the duration of the beta period. If you aren’t an existing Lightroom user, you will be able to try the Lightroom 2.0 beta for 30 days. Before you install, remember this is a beta program and I don’t necessarily recommend installing it on a production machine (a computer used to produce commercial work). Keep checking the blog for more updates and my full Lightroom 2.0 review later in the week.

For those of you who are interested, I have written a Photoshop Express FAQ for PhotoshopSupport.com’s blog. This is more like a mini-review/question & answer session about Photoshop Express which attempts to answer the most frequently asked questions about Adobe’s new online service. You can check out the article by visiting the Photoshop Support Blog.

Adobe has announced the (beta) release of its online photo-editing service called Photoshop Express. This service is offered by Adobe completely free of charge and you can sign up now by visiting the Photoshop Express Website. When you sign up you’ll get 2GB of space to house your work and you will also be able to showcase the photos you edit in a gallery (which is also hosted free of charge by Adobe).

As I continue to test this service I find myself wondering who will actually use it… Adobe says they are targeting entry-level photographers and consumers and they also justify the service only being available online by stating that they believe more users are spending time online and they want to be available to those online users 24/7 and hopefully attract more people to the Adobe Family. As I said before, I’m still testing the site and compiling my notes, but I will be sharing some how-to videos here on the blog, so be looking for those very soon!

“On the last page of every issue of Layers magazine, we’ll present you with an incomplete image. The image could be a single object or just a section of an illustration or photograph. Your assignment is to download the file, then use your imagination (and any Adobe® application you want) to finish the image. Once complete, the image needs to be incorporated into a design. It could be the front cover of a magazine, a movie poster, a Flash® banner, or even a short movie clip (emphasis on short-check official rules for file sizes and types)… it’s entirely up to you. Then all you have to do is submit your final work for a chance to win a fabulous prize!”

This is a great opportunity to get your name out there and have your work seen by thousands of industry professionals. For more information check out the Layers Magazine Site.

That’s right iPhone fans, apparently Adobe has heard our cries for Flash on our iPhones and they are actually prepared to do something about it. This comes somewhat as a surprise because recently Steve Jobs (Apple’s CEO) was quoted as saying he believed that Flash wasn’t suitable for the iPhone’s mobile experience. Adobe’s Chief Executive Shantanu Narayen said, “We believe Flash is synonymous with the Internet experience, and we are committed to bringing Flash to the iPhone,” adding, “We have evaluated (the software developer tools) and we think we can develop an iPhone Flash player ourselves.” There is no doubt that Adobe will have to jump through some “hoops” before Apple will let them integrate Flash in ways that we are used to seeing it, but at least this seems to be a step in the right direction!

Update:

Adobe is officially scratching those comments made by their Chief Executive earlier this week and now seem a little less optimistic about the whole iPhone/Flash concept. The company released a statement saying “…to bring the full capabilities of Flash to the iPhone Web-browsing experience we do need to work with Apple beyond and above what is available through the SDK and the current license around it.” There is no denying that Adobe and Apple have had a rocky relationship over the years, and it seems that they will continue down this road for the foreseeable future.

1. Facebook

Facebook is arguably the most popular of the social networking sites amongst people in my social community. I primarily use Facebook as a way of keeping up with friends, organizing events, and also as promoting myself. Facebook is my primary “social” site, meaning that I use it mostly for social purposes. The great thing about Facebook is that EVERYONE is using it, so it’s always easy to find someone and get in contact with them. The site has great search features which allow you to reconnect with people from your past as well.

I’ve also used this site to organize events for clubs and groups that I am a part of. Facebook allows you to bulk invite, update, and message attendees of your events and can easily be used as the RSVP center of your next big party! My last use for Facebook is shameless self-promotion. I post links, videos, articles, and pretty much anything else I can think of to my “Posted Items” feed which is then embedded into my profile and also appears in the Facebook News Feed. Facebook also allows you to create pages that promote yourself or your products/services. This is a great way to instantly gain awareness for your projects at little to no cost whatsoever (the only cost would be if you opted into the Ads program). I have a Fan Page for both myself and my Photoshop Podcast, both of which act as a hub within Facebook for people to gain information about me and the show, and to get the latest updates and video links.

The only drawback to Facebook is the constant annoyance that is caused by the applications people embed in their profiles. I find these apps very distracting and they can make someone’s profile page a nightmare to navigate. However, it is possible to block these apps by using the GreaseMonkey Web Plugin. All-in-All Facebook is great site and has quickly become the center of my social networking world.

2. Linkedin

My second networing site of choice is Linkedin. This is a social network for business professionals that allows you to connect to various people and build a network of contacts in order to further your role in the business world. Personally I think Linkedin should be much more popular than it is (especially with their new site design), but it has still yet to catch fire like Facebook or MySpace. I use this site to stay in contact with people I meet during my various business endeavors and also as a way of promoting myself and/or projects that I am involved with.

What I love about this site is that your profile page acts as a digital resume for contacts (and potential employers) to view and see your various skills and/or references. This site also offers a great job search engine which will help those looking for employment find work in a field related to their specific skills or interests. Recently they added a status option to the Linkedin profile that allows you to let all of your contacts know what you are working on at any given time. This might not be the most helpful feature o Linkedin but it’s kind of nice to see what everybody is working on in your network.

The final reason that I chose Linkedin is because it allows you to contact potential connections directly and/or be introduced to them through a mutual contact that you both share. This is a great way to network from home and you can gain some very powerful business contacts without ever having to leave the comfort of your living room. So if you’re a business person, especially if you work in a creative media or web-related field it would behoove you to join Linkedin and start building your business network today!

3. Twitter

The final social networking site that I’ll be sticking with is Twitter. I am absolutely addicted to Twitter and I find more and more people are starting to use it to make connections, stay in touch with friends/family, promote themselves or their projects, and live blog during events or tradeshows. Twitter is somewhat misunderstood in my opinion because people don’t understand the practicality of it. Many people ask me why anyone would want to get constant updates about what you had for breakfast or what movie your seeing tonight?

Well, it’s true some people use Twitter as simply a means to let the world know what their doing at a given moment in time, but there are those of us that use twitter as a form of communication that is far more valuable than that. The great thing about Twitter is that it’s quick and simple. You never get any fluff from a twitter post because it’s limited to 140 characters, so people know they have to get to the point and fast! Another great thing about Twitter is the fact that you can integrate it into almost every facet of your everyday life. You can set it to send you an IM when your contacts make a post, and you can also have Twitter send you text messages to your mobile phone so that you can keep up with your contacts on-the-go.

Perhaps the best function of Twitter that I have seen is how useful it is for gathering information about news and events. You can follow feeds from various news agencies like the New York Times or Fox News and have the latest headlines distributed to your Twitter almost instantly. Twitter is also useful for people attending trade-shows and events. During the recent SXSW conference many people used Twitter to organize get-togethers with fellow conference attendees and also gave live updates of various sessions and/or events they were attending during the show. Whether you understand it or you don’t, there is no denying that Twitter is quickly becoming popular among the tech faithful, so you owe it to yourself to at least check it out.

There are a ton of social networking sites out there, and the ones I mentioned here might not be the best fit for you. These are simply my choices… Facebook for my social life, Linkedin for my business life, and Twitter for keeping up with what’s happening right now! I believe it’s impossible to devote yourself to just one social network, and it may also be impossible to actively participate in them all, but you’ve got to find what works for you and stick with it because like it or not, these sites are the future and they’re here to stay!

By the way, if you would like to connect with me on any of these sites just click on the links at the top of the sidebar!

The design was done in Adobe Photoshop CS3™ but also incorporates many elements from Illustrator CS3™ as well. Many of the stock images you see here on the blog are courtesy of the Stock Exchange. Now that I have finished this new design, I can get back to producing actual content for my blog! No more lazy updates, I promise to give you at least three posts per week

I’m still going to be covering the latest news and events related to digital imaging (most notably the Creative Suite™), but with this new design comes a new format. I’ll also be posting entries related to various news and events going on in the world, and also writing some articles that will (hopefully) help you become a better creative professional. Thanks very much for coming by and checking out the new site, and I hope to see you back here real soon!

TAMPA, Fla.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–If you want to use Adobe^® Photoshop^® like a pro, then you have to master the Photoshop tool that the pros rely on most - Layers. That’s the rationale behind Layers: The Complete Guide to Adobe Photoshop’s Most Powerful Feature – the latest book by world-class Photoshop instructor and author, Matt Kloskowski.

Written in casual, easy-to-understand language, Layers shows Photoshop users of all skill levels the tips and techniques they not only need to succeed, but to excel.

Described by the author as, “the Photoshop book I wish had been around when I was learning Photoshop,” Layers covers such topics as working with and managing multiple layers, building multi-layer images, blending layers together, and layer masking in a clear, concise, fully-illustrated style that makes learning easy and fun. Additionally, the book delves into layers-based photo retouching and design techniques that save valuable time and produce stunning results.

Layers: The Complete Guide to Adobe Photoshop’s Most Powerful Feature is published by Peachpit Press and currently available on Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com, and on Kelbytraining.com. The cover price for the new book is $39.99.
About Matt Kloskowski

Matt Kloskowski is a Photoshop guru whose books, videos, and classes have simplified the way thousands of people work on digital photos and images, and his clear and concise teaching style has made him one of the world’s top go-to guys for Photoshop training and education. He is one of the co-hosts of PhotoshopUser TV, the host of both the Adobe Photoshop CS3 Killer Tips and Adobe Lightroom® Killer Tips podcasts, and the author of numerous books, including the Photoshop CS2 Speed Clinic and the Photoshop Elements Retouching and Restoration Book. Matt has built a massive portfolio of educational DVDs, online training courses, and magazine articles for Photoshop User magazine. Additionally, he is a full-time education and curriculum developer for the National Association of Photoshop Professionals, as well as an instructor at the world’s premier Photoshop event, Photoshop World, and other Photoshop and digital photography at workshops and conferences around the world.

That’s right folks, I am in Valley Cottage NY recording my next training series for Total Training. Unfortunately I can’t tell you exactly what these series will be covering, but I can tell you that they will be like something you have never seen (at least from me) before! I am going to be posting some photos from my trip, so maybe that will give you guys a better idea of exactly where I am and what I do when I just disappear for days on end!

Ok, now for some news! In case you didn’t know, Adobe has released the ACE Exams for all CS3 apps. I’ve already taken the Photoshop CS3 re-certification test and even though I can’t give away specific content from the exam, I will say that you should probably brush up on your PSCS3 Extended features… Re-certification is only $50 and can be taken online, but regular certification is $150 and must be taken at an Adobe Testing Center. Check out Adobe’s Website for more information.

Registration is now open for Photoshop World in Orlando. This is the largest Photoshop training event in the world, and I strongly urge everyone to attend! If you register before Feb. 29th you’ll receive a $100 discount on your conference pass, so hurry on over to the Photoshop World Website and check it out!

In case you didn’t know, yesterday was a very special day in the digital imaging community. What’s the big deal? Well, yesterday marked the 18th year anniversary of the release of Photoshop 1.0! However, it wasn’t just Photoshop that celebrated a birthday… Yesterday Camera Raw marked it’s 5-year anniversary and Photoshop Lightroom celebrated it’s first-year anniversary as well. Photoshop News has a very cool article about this subject called “Where Were You on 02-19-1990?” Click Here to check it out.

My friend Bracey Smith has been hard at work on a brand-new podcast called “The T-Quad Pod.” This podcast is hosted by Bracey and basically takes subjects that ordinarily seem difficult to understand, and simplifies them for the common man. You can check out this podcast by visiting the T-Quad Pod Website.

One last bit of news here… JustinSeeley.com will be undergoing redesign very soon, so I just wanted to apologize ahead of time for the impending mess. I will try to have all facets of the site up and running quickly, but as we all know, plans such as this hardly ever come through (especially when they are made by me). I am very excited about the new design though, and I hope you guys will enjoy it too!

One last thing. In case you didn’t notice, at the top of this post is this week’s episode of Quicktips (I totally forgot to mention that at the beginning)! Well that’s all for now, I should probably find my producer and do some actual work, rather than sitting here rambling… Have a great day everybody!

Here’s another Quicktips Sneak Peak! I am headed to New York to begin filming my next training series. I will try to do some blogging while I am on the road and maybe even post some pics of my adventures in the studio! Have a safe and wonderful weekend everyone.

Here’s a sneak peek at this week’s episode of Photoshop Quicktips… Enjoy!

Here is an exclusive just for my blog readers… Every week I’ll be giving a sneak peak at the latest episode of Photoshop Quicktips right here on my blog. This means that you’ll have access to a new episode of the show a day before everyone else! Thanks again for stopping by.

Above is a video showcasing some of the great features of Total Training’s new online training system. As many of you know all of my current training videos are now available at Total Training’s website and I truly believe this is the best delivery system for online training that I have ever used.

If you visit Total Training Online you have the option of signing up for a free 7-day guest pass which will give you access to the first 20 minutes of each training series in the online library. Check it out today… You’ll be glad you did!

Lightroom Help Site Launched

Adobe has launched a new community-powered help system, which provides users with documentation straight from Adobe as well as various links and articles from around the Lightroom web community. Check it out Here.

I just wanted to give everyone a real quick update and announce that my latest training series, Total Training for Adobe Photoshop CS3: Enhancing Digital Photographs has been released and is now available online in the Total Training Library.

The series begins with an introduction to Adobe Photoshop CS3 and then moves to an overview on how to organize your photos using Adobe Bridge. The lessons examine Photoshop CS3’s many tools including Adobe’s Camera Raw 4, layer alignment, and impressive image correction tools. You’ll learn how to correct various kinds of flaws including color, noise and perspective, plus uncover amazing image effects that are sure to wow even the most advanced Photoshop user. Check out Total Training’s Website for more information.

This will be the last Photoshop series that I release for a while, as I am currently working on series for other digital imaging projects. Unfortunately I am not at liberty to discuss these projects right now, but I will let you know about those as soon as I am given the “go-ahead” from the company. I’m still working on podcasts and more new episodes are on the way… So stay tuned!

Welcome everyone to the Tuesday report. If you haven’t seen the new “Get a Mac” Christmas ads, you should really check them out (You can do so by clicking the image above). I’m still working on new episodes of Gradient Mesh but I should have something out the door by Friday. Now let’s get to the main subject of this post…

Around this time of year everyone in the world of technology, blogging, etc. puts out their “gift guide” for everyone. Well, unfortunately I am no different. The following is my personal Holiday Wishlist and if you know someone like me (i.e. they are addicted to computers, photography, software, and gadgets), then this might just help you find that last minute stocking stuffer you’ve been frantically looking for. Here’s what I’m asking Santa for this year…

•  Apple iPod Classic - Starting at $249
• Apple Airport Extreme Base Station - $179
• Wacom Cintiq 21UX - $2499 (Not exactly a stocking stuffer)
• Wacom Intuos 3 Tablet - $399
• onOne Everything Bundle - $499
  
• ExpoDisc Digital White Balance Filter - Starting at $89.95
• Epson P-5000 - $549
• Canon 200-G Digital Gadget Bag - $44.95
• Xbox 360 Gaming System - Yes, I know I am a big kid at heart…$349
  
• Apple/iTunes Gift Cards - Probably the best stocking stuffer on the list… Plus you choose how much the cards are actually worth!

Well there you have it folks, my wish list for this holiday season. I guess I should clear the air here and let you know that I am in no way affiliated with ANY of these companies or their products and I do NOT receive a dime if you purchase any of the stuff listed above. This is simply what I want for my own personal use and I thought I would share that with you. Take care and have a GREAT Tuesday everyone!

As you can clearly see, I’ve just posted a NEW episode of Photoshop Quicktips. In this episode we take a look at how to use the new retouching tool in Adobe’s Camera Raw. I love this little tool and use it quite often.

Photoshop World 2008

The folks over at the National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP) have opened the NEW Photoshop World site and registration for the next PSW in Orlando is now open. Check out the site for more information.

ACR Updated AGAIN!

This may be old news to some, but Adobe has updated Camera Raw once again… The current version is 4.3.1 and it is available from Adobe’s Site.

Sorry for the lack of news today, but this is all I have time for. Have a great Monday everybody!

The simple reason for this is due to my increasing number of projects and contractual obligations, I just flat out don’t have the time to get everything back to 100% just yet. The main thing that will suffer during this period is the blog. I am producing NEW episodes of both podcasts which should be released within the next week or so. I can’t elaborate on the projects I am currently working on due to NDA, but I assure you guys it’s really cool and I will share it with you as soon as I can.

Thanks again to everyone who reads the blog and watches the shows! I know that it’s because of you guys that I have reached this level in my career and I am forever grateful. Have a good rest of the week!

Hello everyone, I hope you all had a great weekend. I am going to make this short and sweet today… I’m taking a break! That’s right I am officially taking some time off from the blogging / podcasting world. I will post new episodes of my shows this week, but I won’t be blogging or recording new episodes for at least a week. I have a few episodes “in the vault” that I will probably publish next week, so keep checking back for those updates.

I am taking this time off to finish the Seeley Media site and take some much needed vacation time. I won’t make any promises as to when I will return, but I am shooting for a 2-week break. If anything HUGE happens in the world of digital imaging I will cover it but otherwise it will be radio silence. Well, I am going to work on uploading this week’s shows, have a great day and I will see you guys again in a few weeks.

I thought I would start off this LONG overdue update with a little humor… I recently read an article about a man in Atlanta who had a very interesting time recently with his iPod Nano. Apparently, while the man was at work (at an airport kiosk), his iPod spontaneously combusted in his pants! The man said he didn’t notice anything until the flames reached his chest! Witnesses say the only thing that kept him from sustaining serious injury was a piece of paper in the same pocket that acted as a shield.

The man told a local TV station “If [the] TSA had come by and seen me smoking, they could have honestly thought I was a terrorist.”

Let this be a lesson to us all to be very careful when carrying our iPods around, especially if we work at an airport!

Knoll Light Factory 3.0 Released

Digital Anarchy has just released the newest version of their ever-popular Knoll Light Factory plugin for Photoshop. This plugin is said to sport a totally new interface and is also fully compatible with Photoshop CS3.

Knoll Light Factory is a very cool plugin that allows you to create custom lens flares and other lighting effects on your images in Photoshop. This release of the plugin also supports real-time previewing which is a much needed change from previous versions. Check out Digital Anarchy for more information.

CS3 Printing Fix Coming Soon

John Nack posted on his blog this week that Adobe recognizes the printing issues many users are having with Photoshop CS3 (especially you poor folks on Windows) and they are rapidly working on a fix. Click here to read the entire post.

Adobe Demos 3D Camera Technology

CNET has posted a very interesting article that talks about Adobe’s new 3D camera technology. I personally saw a brief demo of this new 3D technology at Photoshop World, and I must say it is absolutely mind-blowing! I really hope this idea comes to fruition and we see this on store shelves one day because this could really change the entire landscape of digital imaging and photography in my opinion. Click here for the full article.

There’s a Photoshop For You…

If you are still on the fence about which version of Photoshop is right for you, Adobe has posted a very helpful page that gives users the opportunity to decipher the differences between Standard and Extended and see which one suits their workflow the best. I am really glad Adobe posted this page because this decision will be different for everybody, and until you go through and compare your needs to the functionality of these products, you’ll just be stuck at a digital crossroads. Check out Adobe’s page here.

Podcast Updates

Unfortunately I am still having some serious website and server issues so podcast production could be delayed again this week. I have the episodes recorded and ready to go, I am just having trouble getting them on to the server without crashing. Some people are reporting that Revver is back up and working for them as well but that is certainly NOT the case with me. Hopefully I will get a response from the Revver team soon so that we can diagnose this problem. I apologize for the lack of progress but I am working on it… I promise!

Well, that is the news for today. Hopefully I will be back tomorrow with more updates and some good news from the podcast front! Have a good day everybody.

Something strange is going on over at Revver and I currently do not have the ability to post new videos…However, I have uploaded a new episode of Quicktips so check out the website to download.

Gradient Mesh Delayed

The next episode of the Gradient Mesh Podcast will be available some time tomorrow. I am having some server issues in addition to my issues with Revver, and I am working hard to figure out exactly what is going on.

Total Training Online

Here is a cool little video promoting Total Training Online. If you haven’t checked out Total Training’s new online system, you really should! Visit the Total Training website for more information.

Well, with all the problems I am having with the podcasts I really didn’t have time for much news… Hopefully all will be resolved and I can give a better update tomorrow!

Well, we finally have some more news on Photoshop Express™. Martin LaMonica of CNET has posted some very cool information, screenshots, and video of Adobe’s sneak peek they provided to attendees of the Max 2007 Developer Conference.

For those of you who don’t know, this is Adobe’s new online version of Photoshop which they debuted at Photoshop World in Las Vegas. The service will apparently be a free web-based app that will give users very basic image editing controls. For more information read the article on CNET’s website.

Attention Boot Campers

Apple has released a statement reminding users that the beta license for Boot Camp will expire upon the release of its new Leopard OS.

Boot Camp, for those who don’t know, is a utility that allows you to run Windows XP and Vista on an Intel Macintosh computer.

My Favorite Blogs and Podcasts

I get tons of email asking about other resources that I like for both education and entertainment, so I have compiled a list of my favorites which you can view below…

1. Photoshop News
2. Photoshop Support Blog
3. Creative Suite Podcast
4. Mac Rumors
5. Engadget
6. The Unofficial Apple Weblog
7. Photoshop Killer Tips Podcast
8. TWiT Netcast Network
9. John Nack on Adobe
10. CNET Blogs

Tomorrow is Photoshop Friday!

That’s right folks, tomorrow is Photoshop Friday! For those of you who tuned in last week, you know that means you will be getting a special Photoshop video tutorial to watch right here on the blog. This week will be the same as last week, as I present to you a pre-release edition of the Photoshop Quicktips Podcast. I have some other videos recorded just for future Photoshop Fridays so hopefully this will turn into something more than just an early edition of the podcast! That’s the news for today, have a good day everybody!

Wacom has set its sights on the entry-level consumer market! The tablet maker has released two new series of tablets called Bamboo™ and Bamboo™ Fun. Wacom is toting the new tablets as “…a new category of pen tablets that help everyday people convey their ideas more clearly. With the natural feel of pen-on-paper, Bamboo and Bamboo Fun plug into your computer and make it quick and easy for you to get your point across.

Whether you’re preparing a slide presentation or making a unique collage of your favorite photos, Wacom’s newest line of pen tablets gives you more control with patented pen technology that puts the ability to personalize your work right in your hands.”

These tablets start at $79 USD for the Bamboo™, and top-out at $199 USD for the 8.5″ W x 5.3″ Bamboo™ Fun. Visit the Wacom website for more information.

Taking on the Digital Darkroom

Scott Kelby has posted a very interesting article on his blog where he discusses the issue of Photoshop vs. The Digital Camera. This is a debate that tends to get heated no matter where or when it pops up. Some people believe that “photography” should simply be the image you capture with your camera and no Photoshop whatsoever. On the other hand, there are those folks who say photography is photography no matter what you use to process the images.

Personally, I think that with the evolution of digital photography should come the evolution of the digital photographer. Before the computer age, photographers were always trying new darkroom techniques and manipulating their photos in manual ways, so what’s changed? Post some comments and let me know your thoughts on the issue!

Seeley Media is Progressing

For those of you who care, the Seeley Media page is making progress and should be ready to go live within the next few weeks. I am extremely excited about this new site and the possibilities that come along with it! I will be making some more announcements regarding the new site in the coming weeks, including some information on how you might be able to help with the testing… Stay Tuned!

Liberated Syndication

Many people write in and ask me where I host my podcast and how I distribute it, etc. I am currently using a podcast hosting service from Liberated Syndication for my Photoshop Quicktips Podcast. They handle all the bandwidth for you, and give you unlimited archiving of your old episodes. The service will run you $5/month for the low end (which is plenty for a 5-10min show) and there is even support for submitting your podcast to iTunes. Visit Libsyn.com for more information.

On a side note, I also use Revver in order to display my podcasts as flash movies on my websites. Revver is a great media hosting site that allows you to earn money through advertising, and the best part is, they host your files for FREE! Visit the Revver site for more information!

That’s the news for now… Stay tuned for another update tomorrow!

If you have never checked out Adobe Magazine, you really should! This is a completely FREE downloadable magazine published by the people who bring you software like Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator.

A brand-new issue has just hit the web so jump on over to the Adobe Magazine site and check it out today!

Alien Skin Releases Exposure 2 Plugin

Alien Skin Software has released the Exposure 2 Film Stock Simulator and Effects package. The latest version of this Photoshop Plugin features over 300 film simulation presets and a wealth of photo and digital darkroom effects.

According to Alien Skin, Exposure 2 features push and cross processing, infrared simulation, black and white conversions, color shifting and fading, and more. Intel Mac users will be happy to know that this release of Exposure is also a Universal Binary application, which should lead to some serious speed improvements over its predecessor.

Perhaps the coolest features of this plugin are the ability to copy all of your custom settings from Exposure 1 over to the new version and the also the ability to apply these effects non-destructively using Photoshop CS3’s Smart Filters :).

Exposure sells for $249 and is also available as an upgrade (for Exposure 1 users) for a price of $149. The plugin is available for immediate download from the Alien Skin Website.

Gizmodo Launches Photoshop Contest

The crazy kids over at the Gizmodo technology blog have launched a very interesting Photoshop competition. Users are asked to submit manipulated photos that depict Microsoft CEO, Bill Gates in various events throughout history.

Gizmodo launched this new contest to mark the release of Halo 3 which Microsoft claims was the “Biggest Event in History.” So break out your Wacom tablets and dust off your monitors, it’s time to get to work! For more information visit Gizmodo’s Website.

Adobe Releases Media Player Beta

Adobe has released the Beta version of its Adobe Media Player. Apparently the player is geared towards helping users find, and consume, online video content. Though the response thus far has been lack-luster, it still may be worth checking out. Visit Adobe Labs for more info.

Photoshop Tip: Instantly Switching Tools

When you’re working with tools in Photoshop it can be a real pain to take your mouse out of the image window and switch tools every five seconds. Lucky for us Adobe has given every tool in the toolbar its own keyboard shortcut.

Each tool has a specific keyboard key associated to it. For instance if you wanted to switch to the Move Tool you would simply hit the letter V on your keyboard, or the letter C to switch to the Crop Tool, etc. If you want to know what key is associated with a particular tool, simply hover over that tool for a few moments and you should see a “Tool Tip” displaying the name of the tool and its keyboard shortcut in parenthesis. Once you have these committed to memory, you’ll be instantly switching tools and well on your way to working faster in Photoshop :).

Well, that’s the news for today. More on the way tomorrow… Have a good one!

Welcome back everyone, I hope you all had a great weekend! I spent my weekend playing with Pixelmator and putting it through its paces. In the process I also recorded several videos showcasing how to get started using this new program. You can check out these videos by