Photoshop World 2008 Recap

Recovering today from the event that was Photoshop World 2008. Arrived home in the late evening (due to time change), and a week of no sleep has finally caught up to me. This was my fourth time out to PSW (Photoshop World), and it never fails to be a worthwhile experience. Some highlights from my trip:

1. Just met a ton of people, including Twitter peeps Nancy, LeAnn, Dorothy & Jeff. This was really the best part of the trip for me. Not only did I make new business contacts, I had a great time with folks sharing our interests in photography and Photoshop.
2. I won a copy of the CS3 Master Collection my first day at the pre-conference. (This would ultimately doom me the next day)
3. I was a Photoshop Guru Award top three finalist in the Photo Restoration category. (I would have gladly traded out my CS3 prize for the Guru award)
4. I had a chance to chat with Scott Kelby, and had him sign his book for a friend back here in Dallas.
5. Afterparty at the House of Blues. Probably the largest showing I have seen this particular event. The club was packed, standing room only. I posted a Flickr photostream of Scott Kelby and the band.
6. Tweeting live from the event. I didn’t get as much posting done as I had planned, but a few folks commented on tweets. I’ll have a better plan of attack for next time.

You can click the thumbnails to see the TwitPics.

 

 

 

 

NAPP (Nation Association of Photoshop Professionals) reminds me of the employee culture at Southwest Airlines. I’ve yet to meet a NAPP member or employee who doesn’t think the world of the organization. That’s truly a testament to the company that Scott Kelby has built. Twice a year they put on this conference, and it only gets better. If I would have changed anything it would have been some cooler announcements from Adobe, Canon or Nikon. Really, with a captive audience of 3000+, I expected some insider info, not confirmation of rumors learned two months ago.

The only regret I have is I didn’t take any pictures after the House of Blues event. There I was with my new iPhone, twitpicking away, and not once did I grab a photo of the cool peeps I met at the conference. Oh well, next time…

Dallas Photo Walk Winner

I’m sure many of the city leaders will blog the same opinion, but to say choosing a city photo walk winner was difficult is an understatement.

I hope to NEVER choose a winning photo ALL BY MYSELF ever again. There were a number of excellent photos, and it was not an easy decision to pick just one. Truly, it was not. Picking winner = Not fun. There were over 450 total photos that I went through, and I could have easily made a tie between several (if that were a choice).

At exactly 11:55PM after spending most of my day, and all evening wrestling with a decision, the winning photo came from Bradley Atchison.

If you’re looking for a great way to view a lot of photos on Flickr or any photo site, I highly recommend Cool Iris, a web browser plugin for Firefox. http://www.cooliris.com/ Not only does it render images beautifully (the upsizing of small photos is amazing), it has an image search function. I was able to pull in all 450 photos, without needing to navigate 20+ web pages.

UPDATE Aug 31, 2008 - Scott Kelby posted his choice for the Grand Prize Winner. You can also view all the city winners on the Photo Walk site.

Dallas Photos from Scott Kelby’s Worldwide Photo Walk

It’s been a few days since Scott Kelby’s Worldwide Photo Walk, and photos are appearing in the Dallas Flickr group. Tomorrow I will have to pick one photo, a singular selection amongst a collection of fine photography, as an entry for the grand prize contest. Lord help me.

There are 300+ images to go through, some of which I’ll look at today, and then I’ll make my final decision tomorrow. Won’t be easy, but perhaps that winning photo will be so obvious the choice will be a clear one. I didn’t want to be put to the task alone, so the Dallas Flickr photo that receives the most votes within the group will also get a prize donated by yours truly.

There are some amazing photos taken from all over the world. Be sure to checkout the other Photo Walk city pages. If you have pictures of the photo walk itself (group shots, other photographers) please post them to the Flickr group created by NAPP (Nation Association of Photoshop Professionals).

Are You Ready To Photo Walk?

Greetings all!

I hope you’re as excited as I am to meet up for the Photo Walk this Saturday. The weather has been pretty wet all week, but I’m hoping we will catch a break. On the upside, the rain should make for a cooler evening.

Here is a daytime picture of Sonny Bryan’s Smokehouse where we will meet. The Dallas Photo Walk page has been updated with the latest Google map, which you can get directions. The address is 302 N Market St
Dallas, TX 75202.

I went to several restaurants, and all wanted some sort of banquet reservation for a group of our size. Not a real problem except for deposits, and the insistence of a single party catering ticket. I hope that Sonny’s will accommodate us a bit better, but will know more Saturday night.

As a last reminder here are things to keep in mind for our walk:

1. Safety. Safety. Safety. Be aware of your surroundings, e.g, people, traffic, non-moving objects, and keep an eye on your gear.

2. Pair off. It will be a challenge to keep the entire group moving together, and it’s NOT a requirement for all of you to move when I move. I will be breaking folks down into smaller teams so YOU will always be paired with someone.

3. Comfort. I know my Twitter avatar looks pretty lean, but my Mii character is quite the portly fellow. Be sure to wear good shoes, and bring water if you’re inclined.

4. Camera Gear. If this is your first Photo Walk then you may be inclined to “bring the kitchen sink” just so you don’t miss the one shot of the evening. My suggestion is to keep your pack light; I wouldn’t bring more than two lenses. A tripod would be useful, but a monopod easier to handle.

5. Flickr Group. If you haven’t done so, NOW is the time to register for the Flickr group. I have received a number of requests already. The only suggestion I have is PLEASE include your real name in the request. Crazy_Photographer2789 is a fine handle, but I have nothing to match up against my registration list.

NOTE - Your photos will need to be posted by midnight Tuesday, August 26th.

Alright, that’s my last minute pep talk. See everyone at the walk!

August 12 - IDUG Dallas Meeting

Hope everyone is enjoying their summer. It would seem everything is on the rise. Gas prices are up, Texas weather is gettin’ mighty warm, and your humble Adobe Instructor is hopin’ to kick off another IDUG (InDesign User Group) meeting chock full of information.

The Dallas chapter of the InDesign Users Group will meet on Tuesday, August 12th at the Clampitt Paper Creative Center. Lisa Niday gives everyone a whirlwind tour of the newly released Acrobat 9. Learn how this new release is changing the face of PDF (Portable Document Format). Don’t think for a second you should skip this event. As InDesigners, PDF is where many of us end up, and you want to see the destination Adobe has set for your designs.

And now an official word from our sponsor:
Adobe® Acrobat® 9 Pro software helps business and creative professionals communicate and collaborate more effectively and securely with virtually anyone, anywhere. Unify a wide range of content in a single organized PDF Portfolio. Easily manage electronic document reviews to obtain feedback and build consensus. Create and distribute dynamic forms to collect data electronically for greater accuracy. Help protect sensitive information with robust security features. And enable users of Adobe Reader® software* to fill in and save forms, digitally sign documents, and participate in reviews.

Register For The Event

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Agenda
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11:00-11:15 Socializing, Announcements, Eating
11:15-12:30 The New Acrobat 9 — Lisa Niday
12:30-12:45 Q & A
12:45-01:00 Closing and Raffle

Clampitt Creative Center
9207 Ambassador Row
Dallas, TX 75247
UNITED STATES
Directions To The Event

Aug 10 - Dallas Digital Photography Meetup

I am speaking for the Dallas Digital Photography Group on using Lightroom vs. Bridge, Photoshop vs. Photoshop Elements.

Anyone with an interest in photography is welcome, beginner or advanced. Bring your camera, gadgets, and photos! The event will be at:

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Venue Information:
Attendees may bring in outside food and drinks into the meeting room.  There will be NO food or drinks provided, so please come prepared.

Scott Kelby’s Worldwide Photowalk 2008

This week Scott Kelby announced the Worldwide Photowalk on his blog. This GINORMOUS event will be held in cities around the world on Saturday, August 23^rd. I have the honor of being the city leader here in Dallas, and I’m excited to join in on the festivities. This is an open event, meaning you don’t have to be a professional to attend. DSLR cameras are not required, in fact I’ve read that some folks just use their cellphone cameras. However, attendance is limited to 50 people so be sure to register right away.

Here’s some additional information for those folks interested in signing up:

What is a Photowalk? Jeff Revell was a guest blogger on Scott’s site, and put together this great article on what to expect on a photowalk. It’s a good read if you’ve never gathered with other photographers like paparazzi. *chuckle*

Official Photowalk Website - Scott Kelby gives you an introduction to this gathering of photo enthusiasts. This is a FREE social event, but given Scott’s generous nature there will be a handful of prizes to win. Visit the Dallas city page to register for the photowalk.

Scott’s Photowalk Q&A - Scott answers additional questions that have come up since announcing the Photowalk event.

Dallas was just added last night, and I’m putting together the plans for our city photowalk. Feel free to leave any questions/comments, and I will be updating information on the Dallas city page as well as here on the blog.

REGISTRATION UPDATE 08/01/2008 - Just got the word from John Hays that you need to be sure you pick your city BEFORE submitting the registration form. If you miss that, your email address will get eaten, and you’ll have to register with a different address.

DFWAUG Meets June 21st

June 21st will be the last meeting of the DFWAUG (Dallas/Ft. Worth Adobe Users Group) before summer break! Gene McCullagh will demonstrate Portrait Retouching Techniques using Photoshop CS3. Everyone likes to look better in photos, right? Make your friends and family happier with a few simple pixel modifications!

WIN A COPY OF THE CS3 PREMIUM SUITE! You don’t want to miss this raffle which includes not just one Adobe product, but a complete CS3 suite (Web Premium or Design Premium). Tickets will be $5.00 each or 5 tickets for $20.00. This giveaway doesn’t happen all the time, and you must be present to win.

DFWAUG meets on the third Saturday of each month from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm at NerdBooks in Richardson.

NerdBooks is located at 1681 Firman Drive, Richardson, TX 75081. View a Google map of the location.

MMA Review - What’s Next For Matt Hughes?

UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) 85: Bedlam - Thiago Alves TKOs Matt Hughes.

After another stunning loss, Matt Hughes may have just exposed himself as a fighter past his prime. Like the Mike Tyson of old, facing Hughes warranted courage just to step in the octagon, but the aura & mystique have long since passed. Matt Hughes has lost three of his last four fights, and none were even close contests. A 9-time welterweight champion, Matt’s contribution to the UFC, and mixed martial arts are unquestioned. His future in the sport is what many are pondering.

Steve Cofield makes some good points that perhaps it’s not so much Hughes being old (if 34 can be called old), as it is 2008 debuting a better breed of MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) fighters. I have watched Matt Hughes fight many times, and his powerful takedowns were absolutely impressive. In his last bouts, the other fighters have been faster, their takedown defense better, rendering Matt Hughes as a mere mortal.

In this new age of MMA, the best fighters are pushing the limits of the sport. It’s simply not striking vs grappling anymore. The longevity of a fighter and his (or her) success depends on a complete set of MMA skills not just a specialized mastery of techniques.

After the fight Matt Hughes called out Matt Serra giving way for perhaps his last MMA contest. It begs the question, with so many talented MMA fighters out there, what audience is going to pay to see these two fighters both coming off significant losses?

Personally, I think Matt Hughes is up to the challenge. Time will tell if he feels the same way.

NTPC Meets June 12th

Reuben has asked me to be the speaker for the next NTPC (North Texas Photo Club) meeting on Thursday, June 12th. I will be giving an overview presentation of features in Photoshop CS3, and doing a general Q&A session.

NTPC information can be found on their website, and their Meetup community page.

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