Photoshop Tutorials, Tips, and News | Planet Photoshop

Wednesday Inspiration

June 4th, 2008 | Corey Barker

You really must check out Scott Kelby’s blog today. On Wednesdays he has a guest blogger and so far he has had Vincent Versace and Joe McNally. Well, this week I am thrilled to see that the guest blogger is John Paul Caponigro. John Paul is, without a doubt, one of my favorite photographers and Photoshop gurus. I had the chance to actually chat with him at the last Photoshop World in Orlando and what a treat it was. He is really a great guy and an awesome Photoshop teacher. I love his lectures because he talks from a deeply emotional and philosophical standpoint. This is evident in his guest post, which is titled: Making the Visual Verbal. It’s an interesting read on verbalizing your images through words, both written and spoken. If you are a writer, or aspiring to write, don’t miss this post. Check it out here.

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Training, Training and even more Training!

June 2nd, 2008 | Corey Barker

Lately I have been inundated with questions on where people can get more training in Photoshop. I can think of only one other place: KelbyTraining.com. This site is your one-stop shop for the best training by the best people. Check this out, there is an awesome online training library featuring some of the biggest names in Photoshop. Names like Scott Kelby, Katrin Eisman, Bert Monroy, and….Corey Barker. (Ok, so it’s shameless plug.) Anyway this site doesn’t just offer online training. There is also a DVD store with a wide selection of unmatched training material. In fact, Scott Kelby’s newest DVD: Photoshop CS3 for Digital Photographers just became available this past week. The site also features a bookstore where you can find the latest books on Photoshop such as Matt Kloskowski’s new Layers Book. In fact, if you order from this site you can get a signed copy. If you are in to live training then check out the seminars section to see if there’s gonna be a Photoshop seminar in your town. Whew!! I don’t think there is much more I can say, just check it out and enjoy.

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New Tryouts at Adobe Labs

May 30th, 2008 | Corey Barker

For you web developers out there, Adobe has just recently made betas available for Dreamweaver CS4, Fireworks CS4, and Soundbooth CS4. These can be downloaded over at Adobe Labs. Just remember, they are beta so there is always the chance of mishaps here and there. At any rate, it’s a great way to get to know the program and perhaps provide some feedback so they can make the program better for your needs. Also if you have never been to the Adobe Labs site before, you really ought to look around. All the newest stuff that Adobe develops is on this site. You never know what you might find. Check it out and have fun.

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Joe McNally on Scott’s Blog

May 28th, 2008 | Corey Barker

If you remember last week Scott started having guest bloggers every Wednesday on his blog. Vincent Versace kicked it off with a very insightful entry. This week Scott has renowned photographer Joe McNally as his guest blogger. Joe is one amazing photographer. Not only are his images simply stunning, he always has a really good story behind each one. This is the essence of his new book: The Moment It Clicks. It’s a collection of memorable images and the stories behind them. It truly is an inspirational book. Anyway, click here to check out this new insightful post. Also here is the link to Joe’s own blog so you can see what he has been up to.

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Illustrator Tutorials

May 27th, 2008 | Corey Barker

I know this is a Photoshop site but some have been asking me where they might be able to see some of my Illustrator tutorials. Well, I do have an Illustrator Down & Dirty class on the Kelby Online Training site, but if you want to see some free Illustrator tutorials they can be found on the Layers Magazine website. Here is the link to my tutorials and click here for other great Illustrator tutorials also on the Layers site. While you are there, in case you haven’t seen it yet, check out the current episode of Layers TV. We had special guest Christy Winter come on and break down how she went about creating the Blazing Hot Tips cover design. She briefly touches on the early concept drawing of the idea and bringing it from sketch to screen. Really cool stuff. Here’s the link.

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Guest Blogger on Scott Kelby’s Blog

May 22nd, 2008 | Corey Barker

Recently Scott started having what he called “No Blog Wednesdays” to give himself a little mid-week break from filling our minds with industry info. Well instead of having no blogging at all, he just recently started having guest bloggers on Wednesdays and yesterday he kicked it off by having the very person that suggested the idea as his first guest. My friend and fellow Photoshop World instructor Vincent Versace. Vincent also authored the book Welcome to Oz: A Cinematic Approach to Digital Still Photography with Photoshop.If you haven’t checked this book out is awesome. Anyway Vincent posted a rather insightful article called Believing is Seeing. That’s all I am going to say you really must read it. Here’s the link.

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Book Pick of the Week

May 21st, 2008 | Corey Barker

Of course I usually highlight a Photoshop book, but every so often there are other books that are worth mentioning. This week I want to call attention to Scott Kelby’s new Mac OSX Leopard Book. If you have the previous versions of these, you know as well as I do, these are gold mines for quick tips. I guarantee this book will show you things you probably had no idea your Mac could do. Useful things too. Scott doesn’t just explain how something works, he explains the scenario in which you may find it useful. This title is due for release in early June. Find out more and pre-order yours today here.

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Really Bad Photoshop!

May 19th, 2008 | Corey Barker

Want a good chuckle on this Monday morning? I stumbled on a blog this weekend that I am pretty sure I saw on Rod Harlan’s blog some time ago. Its called Photoshop Disaster and it is a hilarious showcase of some rather obvious and not-so-obvious Photoshop blunders. In the spirit of Jay Leno’s headlines bit, this site takes a similar approach but with images. I took a look at some of these and I am completely surprised they made it into print. Some are perhaps simple things that might have been overlooked or they might have been intentional. Which then begs the question: What were they thinking? If anything this site will make you appreciate the diligence of going over detail and getting it right the first time. While it is funny, you don’t necessarily want your stuff showing up on a site like this.

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Cool Photoshop World Movie!

May 16th, 2008 | Corey Barker

If you were at Photoshop World in Orlando or even of you weren’t there and are trying to decide on whether or not you want to go sometime, you should check out this really cool Photoshop World movie the video guys put together over on the Photoshop World website. It really sums up the fun and creative energy that makes Photoshop World so great. It’s not just another convention or a seminar. It is one of the most fun events around. Even before I started working for NAPP I was a Photoshop World regular. I’ve attended at least half a dozen in the past few years. Not only is it a great way to learn the newest techniques in Photoshop, but it also is a great chance to network and meet all kinds of interesting people that all have the same interest you do: Photoshop!!

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New Layers Design Contest

May 15th, 2008 | Corey Barker

Layers magazine has launched their second online design contest. This is a great opportunity to sharpen those design skills and get your name out there. Just go to this link and download the contest image. Then simply use any of the Adobe apps to create a design or animation based on this graphic. This is great chance to flex those creative muscles and have a little fun. The prize is a $300 shopping spree at the Kelby Training site. Very cool stuff. So don’t wait, go download the image and get started.

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Spotlight: Joe McNally

May 13th, 2008 | Corey Barker

If you haven’t heard of photographer Joe McNally you have clearly been sleeping under a rock somewhere. Joe is certainly one of the most popular photographers working today. He has produced truly inspiring images for clients such as Sports Illustrated, National Geographic, and Time. He is perhaps best known for his innovative use of light on set. Joe can achieve in the camera what most can only do in the computer during post production. Joe recently released his first book: The Moment It Clicks in which he shares his thought processes for capturing some of his most inspiring images. This book is a must have for every aspiring photographer. Joe also has a daily blog on which he keeps his fans up-to-date with where he is and what he is shooting. Always inspirational stuff, you should check it out and bookmark it right away.

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Flickr Fans Rejoice

May 12th, 2008 | Corey Barker

The new Photoshop Express can now upload photos directly to your Flickr account, right from within the program. Since Flickr has established itself as one the most popular photo-sharing websites, it only makes sense that this feature is implemented. Now you can upload, correct, and store your photos in your Photoshop Express account and send over the ones you want to share to your Flickr site. The best part is that it is all online so you can manage your photos from anywhere.

Also, if you are in the Hartford, CT area tomorrow you won’t want to miss Scott Kelby teaching his Photoshop CS3 Power Tour. It truly is a lot of fun and everyone from beginners to advanced users can always get something out of it. Find out more here.

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Opening Today!

May 9th, 2008 | Corey Barker

Well, other than the new movie Speed Racer, which I will definitely check out this weekend, the news is that Scott Kelby’s newest course: Professional Portrait Retouching, was just released on the Kelby Online Training site today.

This highly-anticipated course takes you through the processes of some of the most sought-after retouching techniques anywhere. Scott covers stuff like enhancing lighting, changing eye color, removing stubble, highlighting hair, and so much more. It’s all presented in his straight-forward, non-technical style. This course will have you retouching photos like a pro in no time.

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Last Day in New York

May 7th, 2008 | Corey Barker

Well it’s the last day of classes here at B&H and I must admit, it has been a lot of fun. I met a lot of really interesting people who are truly passionate about learning Photoshop. I met a man that is 80 years old and posed some really intelligent questions. Proof positive that it is never to late to learn something new.

This being my first time to B&H Photo, I must admit I was really impressed on many levels. First, the scale of the store is just immense, even more so with the newly expanded area upstairs dedicated entirely to cameras of all makes and models. Second is the staff. They were extremely friendly, but much more than that, they were very knowledgeable of the products. Bottom line, this business is truly a well-oiled machine and there is always a good size crowd. If you find yourself in the New York area. Add this place to your list of stops.

Also, Larry Becker (Director of NAPP) and I went out for a little photo safari in Times Square last night and we managed to get a few decent images. Click here to see a larger view of the one to the right here.

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Live From New York…

May 7th, 2008 | Corey Barker

No it’s not live. Hi everyone! Just a quick update from the Big Apple. My sessions went really well yesterday at B&H and I am on my way to do another one today. Being here in New York, and certainly here in Times Square has given me a lot of inspiration. I will post some pics a little later. Have a good day!

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