Special PSW Offer for Facebook and Twitter Followers

If you follow @NAPP_News on Twitter, or if you’re a fan of the NAPP Facebook page and you haven’t registered for Photoshop World, we’ve got a special PSW treat just for you.

All Facebook and Twitter followers will receive a free PSW bag of swag containing an official PSW t-shirt, limited edition dog tags, an embroidered NAPP Nation patch and one Midnight Madness ticket when you register by January 29 and enter a special code.

But to get the special code, you have to go to our Twitter feed or Facebook page.

PS: Even if you don’t follow us on Facebook or Twitter, you can still find the code at our Fan Page.

PPS: Just so you know, you enter the code at “Step 3″ under “Payment Options” or call customer service to register at: 1-800-738-8513

PPPS: Also, when you register by Jan. 29, you are automatically entered to win one of three Ultimate Photoshop Training Bundles ($1,000 value) that consist of the following:

* One PSW Ticket (can be used on a future date or to refund your current ticket)
* One one-year Kelby Training Online Subscription
* One one-year NAPP membership (new or extension of current membership)
* One PSW Speed Pass
* One PSW Pro Pass upgrade

W00t!

Looking back and forward

I’m a new photographer. This past summer I took a Non-major Digital Photography class at the University of Utah. Each assignment brought such energy and fun that I could think of nothing more. With inspiration from my instructor I decided to add a second major of photography to my already declared Film Major.  Within hours after officially becoming a double major, I’m browsing Facebook and see an ad about Photoshop and it’s a NAPP ad for Vegas. I follow the links, read all about it and send it to my instructor. The student price was fantastic and I knew within minutes, I would find a way to make it to Vegas.

The couple months proceeding I tried to get someone to come with me but as time grew closer, I knew I would be going alone.  Looking back, I’m actually very grateful. I met people I wouldn’t have met and learned stuff I wouldn’t have otherwise learned.

I use the Dave Cross trip planner and spent a couple hours reading about all the classes and deciding which ones to go to.

Now it was just waiting to leave……

Arriving alone to a place you have never been is always filled with anxiety. Going to learn about something you hardly know anything about is a bit overwhelming. Would I trade it for the world? Never.

I met the most wonderful people and learned things I never expected to learn. For example, sitting in the hallway close to the Tattoo convention, I met Randy (a very talented photog and instructor ) and as we both were taking advantage of the internet access from the Tattoo show, I learned how to make money with my pictures. This wasn’t expected and I’m grateful. Speaking of the Tattoo convention, I am really curious how many of us got inked.  I didn’t tell my husband about mine for a couple days…lol

Walking down the strip on Saturday night with my new friend, Misty we ran into fellow photographers and had the most wonderful night taking pictures on an impromptu photowalk. I learned more from watching these photo veterans  in just a couple hours then I have taking pictures all summer. It’s too bad my camera battery died…lol

I LOVED the Expo and learning more about my camera, products and even much needed things like organizing my business was like a kid in a candy store. I had to first walk around and take it all in, then get the nerve to talk and learn what is out there. By far, I think my favorite vendor was BlinkBid. For someone who attempts to be organized, everything little thing helps.

Sure I learned sooo much from the classes. I’m still trying to digest everything my brain was loaded with. It’s what I learned outside of classes as well that was a pleasant surprise and really put the icing on the cake. My twitter and facebook posts have convinced my fellow students to join me at the next PSW.

Thank you for allowing to me to be a guest blogger and reflect on my thoughts of the weekend. I can’t wait to go back and share with others the amazing time I had and keep growing as an artist and photographer.

Twibbon Contest… and the Winners are…

That’s right, you heard me. I said winners. When I threw this contest together earlier this week, I knew I’d get a few really good entries but I honestly didn’t think that, with the time allotted, I’d get as many awesome entries as I did! … I really should have known better. ;D

The really interesting part was how diverse your entries were. I mean, given the teeny, tiny space you had to work with… coupled with my requirements… Well, let’s just say that I am beyond impressed with each and every entry!

So here’s what I decided to do. I narrowed down the entries to 15. Then, I compiled a list of judges here at NAPP HQ and asked for their input, but the bottom line is that there are so many different avatars out there in the Twitterverse… so we decided to pick one (1) grand prize winner for the Photoshop World ticket, and three (3) runners-up who will receive a one-year NAPP membership! *If you’re already a NAPP member, we’ll extend your membership. =)

This also gives everyone more choices on which Twibbon they’d like to use on their Twitter avatar to tell the world what you’ll be up to this October.

So… without further ado, here are your winners!

Grand Prize

Twibbon #4 by @JamesPettus

Pack your bags @JamesPettus. You just won a ticket to Photoshop World! James actually submitted seven Twibbons (seven!) and each one was better than the next, but we could only pick one so we went with this one. It’s crisp, it’s clean, sure, it pretty much covers up your avatar but it screams, “GAME ON!”

Runners-up

Top Row, third one in - @_JohnHorn

I wish I could give all the runners-up a ticket to Photoshop World, but I can’t so I hope @_JohnHorn won’t mind settling for a one-year NAPP membership. John obviously put a lot of effort into this (and I appreciate the thumbnail approach… brings me back.) =)

Rob Dennis... You didn't give me your Twitter name or link. Boo! ;D

In spite of the fact that Rob Dennis neglected to tell me his Twitter name, I had to choose this Twibbon for the simple fact that I think it will work well across many different avatars. Hey Rob! If you’re reading this, send me the file and a link to your Twitter account STAT! =)

… and last but certainly not least…

Yay! @Herne FINALLY won!!!

This one means a lot to me. @Herne has been following me as @NAPP_News since I first started the Twitter account over a year ago. In spite of his gloomy outlook, he is one of my absolute most favorite Tweeps and I wouldn’t want him any other way. Plus, if anyone deserves to win a NAPP membership from me, it’s him… especially after the “rick-rolling” I gave him last year. ;D

Not only that but @Herne’s entry, which was one of the first ones I got, really caught my eye. It’s just so much FUN! Yes @Herne… I said your name and the word “fun” in the same sentence. ;D

… But That’s Not All…

The bottom line is that there were so many good Twibbons that would work so well with different avatars, but I simply can’t dole out prizes to everyone.

The least I can do though, is invite everyone who entered to please feel free to upload their Twibbons to the the Twibbon Site on their own. That way, everyone going to Photoshop World has a choice of Twibbons to suit his/her avatar.

All I ask is that you hold off on uploading until I can get the winners up there, ok?

Speaking of winners… If you haven’t already emailed me your file, please do so….. NOW!

Congratulations to EVERYONE really. You all impressed us here at NAPP HQ with your creativity when working with such a small space.

See you in Vegas!

Win a Ticket to PSW! Make me a "Twibbon!"

Part of being on Twitter is showing your support for a cause. I was looking at a site a few minutes ago called “Twibbon” that allows you to upload overlays for your Twitter avatar for various causes when I had a brilliant idea…

Now, I know that Photoshop world is not a cause, but I also noticed that not all the Twibbons I see are for causes too so, before you get all mad at me… well, just don’t. This is a good idea. =)

One of my problems during Photoshop World is that my “noise” level skyrockets b/c there is just so much to tweet about. It gets hard to keep on explaining it to everyone in the Twitterverse as well. Plus, I’ll bet that everyone else who goes to Photoshop World raises their “noise” level too… Wouldn’t it be nice if we had a fast way to tell the Twitterverse what we’re up to?

So here’s the deal. I want YOU guys to make me a #PSW “Twibbon.” I’m going to put a few “rules” below but I want you to get creative too… and put your “Marketing” caps on while you’re at it. We’re gonna do this fast b/c the early bird deadline is coming up soon so here’s the deal:

1. Go to Twibbon.com to see the requirements they specify for making a Twibbon.
2. DO NOT UPLOAD YOUR ENTRY THERE!!!
3. Instead, follow the guidelines, make me a Twibbon, and post it to whatever photo share site you use (Flickr, Photobucket, NAPP portfolio, etc.)
4. Post a link to your entry on this blog along with a link to your Twitter account. You can also email it to PSWblog[at]KelbyMediaGroup[dot]com starting tomorrow. We’re getting it set up right now. =)
5. On Friday, when I get into work and get settled, I’ll pick a winner, post it to Twibbons, and announce the winner on this blog and on Twitter.
6. The winner gets one (1) Ticket to Photoshop World!!
7. If the winner is already registered for PSW Vegas, he/she may use this free pass for either PSW in 2010.
8. Hotel & Airfare is still up to you so you can defer your ticket to 2010 PSw if you can’t get the last-minute funds going.
9. Can I get a W00T?!?!

Some things to consider when designing your Twibbon:

1. Is has to be visible on just about every avatar no matter if that avatar is light or dark.
2. You CAN use the Photoshop World Logo.
3. Since PSW is an Adobe sponsored event, unless we hear different, you CAN use the Adobe Logo… BUT YOU MUST PUT THE PROPER TRADEMARK ATTRIBUTIONS ON IT! Also, you cannot alter their logo in any way!
4. This Twibbon needs to let the Twitterverse know where you are going. Please consider having the following on there:
   1. The #PSW Hash Tag
   2. The Dates: Oct. 1-3
5. I want people to be able to use this Twibbon almost like an “away” message on their Avatar’s too so when they Tweet from #PSW everyone will automatically get the context.
6. No Twhining!!! We’re just trying to have some fun here folks.

Ok… I guess that’s it. Please put any questions you have here and get designing!

See you in Vegas!

NEW! Photoshop World Contest on Twitter!

Photoshop World Vegas marks our one-year anniversary of incorporating social media (especially Twitter) into the event and what a year it’s been! We went from 500 followers that first time out to well over 8,000 and it just keeps growing! Plus, with @ScottKelby, @MattKloskowski, @DaveCross, @PlanetPhotoshop (Corey Barker) and @LayersTV_RC (“RC” Concepcion) on board, it just keeps getting better!

That’s why were launching a little Twitter contest to get everyone familiar with using the #PSW Hashtag again. We’re gonna keep it simple. So here it is…

1. Make sure you are following @NAPP_News (at the very least) so I can DM you if you win… but really, you should follow all of us!!
2. If you are already registered for Photoshop World tweet the following: “I am going to #PSW (to/for/because) … ((INSERT YOUR OWN REASON!))” Tell us why you are going to Photoshop World. Get specific. Talk about a class, an instructor, an event, you name it! If you can, insert a tiny URL linking to the Photoshop World site.
3. If you are NOT registered for Photoshop World yet (and shame on you for that), tweet the following: “I want to go to #PSW (to/for/because)… ((INSERT YOUR OWN REASON!))” Tell us what Photoshop World could do for your career, how it can help you, what you want to learn. In a nutshell, convince us to send you to PSW! If you can, insert a tiny URL linking to the Photoshop World site.
4. From NOW until next Tuesday (Aug. 11th) Tweet to your hearts desire! Spread the news about PSW and about this contest too. Especially if your friends keep asking why you’re tweeting this so they don’t think you’re loopy. ;D
5. Don’t forget to include the #PSW Hashtag (and  link to the PSW site if you can) in your Tweets!

Here’s what’s gonna happen.

1. We’re going to go through allll your Tweets and pick one registered and one non-registered Tweep. We may do a random draw, we may pick one that really stands out to us. Depends on what we get, but we do plan on reading every one!
2. The non-registered Tweep wins a ticket to Photoshop World
3. The registered Tweep gets some cool #PSW stuff from me (could be a pre-con, could be a party ticket, could be Midnight Madness passes… we’ll see. It depends on the Tweep who wins and what they like)
4. BOTH winners get a special invite to Scott Kelby’s private “Post-PSW” party! Can I just tell you what an opportunity this is?! I mean, I haven’t even been invited to one of these! This is a private function normally attended by Scott and the Photoshop World instructors… and no one else! It’s like getting into the BatCave or being invited to the Fortress of Solitude! This party takes place after the closing ceremonies so please take your travel plans into consideration when entering this contest! I will coordinate with the winners when the contest is over to give them the details on gettingin to this super private party. Lucky ducks. (pouts)

Also, in light of the fact that I am currently helping to run a handful of contests at the moment, I’m adding a few “rules.”

1. You have to be at least 18 to enter… of course Vegas is more fun when you’re over 21. ;D
2. If you have any questions, ask ‘em here on this blog.
3. Before you ask your question, please make sure you’ve read the blog. I’m sure I’ve left something out but I simply cannot answer questions all day if the answers are already here. =) Slack. Cut some for me. Please. ;D
4. Please… No whining. ((I’m taking a cue from Scott on this rule)) I’m sure someone, somewhere has a problem with something about this contest. Yes. You need to be on Twitter to enter. Yadda, yadda.
5. Tweets that look like this will not be counted >> “I want to go to #PSW (to/for/because)… ((INSERT YOUR OWN REASON!))”
6. RTs of anyone else’s entry will not qualify… feel free to RT ‘em if you like ‘em (I do it all the time), just don’t think that enters you into the contest.
7. RT’s of anything I tweet about this contest do not count as an entry either.
8. Your Tweet must have the #PSW hashtag in it (it’s how we’ll be finding/reading your Tweets)
9. Please remember to use the words “I am going to #PSW” OR “I want to go to #PSW.” This is how we tell between who’s registered and who isn’t. If you are not registered to go and you win the prize designated flor someone who is already registered based on your tweet…. Guess what happens? Bupkus 4 u.
10. Please… Have fun. This is a pretty cool opportunity fter all! =)

Hint: As far as the odds go… I have to be honest, you have a better chance of winning the private party pass if you are already registered for Photoshop World. There are WAY more people in the Twitterverse who don’t have a ticket to Photoshop World than there are who do. It’s just a simple fact of numbers.

PS: This contest is open to anyone in the world but the prize does not include your airfare or hotel.

PPS: The Early Bird deadline to get a discount on your PSW ticket ends on Friday, August 28th. So you can try to win it before you buy.

PPPS: If you don’t wanna risk missing it, register now. =)

That’s it! Tweet away and I’ll see you in Vegas!

PSW TweetUp FAQ

The votes have been counted and the location chosen. The first ever Photoshop World TweetUp will take place at the SideBar and Grille at the Boston Sheraton Hotel (official PSW host hotel) on Tuesday, March 24th at 9pm. What’s a TweetUp, you ask? Read on!

What’s a TweetUp?

Simply put, a “TweetUp” is just like a MeetUp except it’s organized and broadcast via Twitter for people who use Twitter.

So, why are you announcing it here?

I’ve been fielding so many questions and I know that there are a lot of people who are still new to Twitter, I needed a place to put everything. This seemed like as good a place as any.

What happens at a TweetUp?

Same thing that happens at a MeetUp. Basically, a bunch of Twitter users will get to meet each other IRL (in real life) and put some faces and voices to all those Tweets. Plus, it’s a great way to make friends at Photoshop World.

So, are you all going to stand around and tweet to each other on your cell phones?

Gosh, I hope not!!! No. At the most, I think people will be tweeting that they are going to the TweetUp or that they have arrived at the TweetUp. I’m sure people will tweet about certain people that they meet, but other than that, I’m sure we’ll all act the way normal humans do when they meet a bunch of friends at a bar.

Wait a minute… Isn’t the NAPP Forum Party taking place at the same time in the same location?

Yep! I stipulated that when I put the location choice to a vote and the majority of the votes went to holding it in the same location so, there you have it.

So, how will we know who’s a forum member and who’s a “Tweeple” … or who’s a ForumTweeple??

You’ll have to use your words. =) Besides, no matter if you’re a “Forum Person” or a “Tweep,” you’re all NAPP members.

What if it gets too crowded with both parties in one location?

Then we move. That’s the great thing about Social Media. We’ll just pick a new location and tweet it.

Hey! There are a few PSW instructors on Twitter now. Will they be there?

I’m not promising anything but I’m certainly going to ask them to join us.

Will Scott Kelby be there?!?!

I seriously don’t know the answer to that question. Nor would I even wager a guess.

Please leave any other questions you have in the comments section an I’ll answer them right away.

See you in Boston!

Photoshop World News Roundup

Photoshop World is now less than two weeks away! There’s still plenty of time to join us and much to report as the event draws near so here we go!

Winners of the PSW Top Ten/Midnight Madness VIP Contest Announced

Photo courtesy of Jeff Revell's PhotoWalkPro blog

Last week, we announced the winners of the first (and probably last) Photoshop World Top Ten/Midnight Madness contest. Here’s the final list if you’re interested.

The Grand Prize winner of two tickets to PSW and a $200 gift certificate for B&H is, Kristopher Saim! Congratulations Kris! Here’s a blog post he wrote about his win.

There were also ten runners-up who all won a special, limited edition PSW T-shirt that also doubles as a VIP ticket for Midnight Madness! These winners also received their choice of either Scott’s book: Photoshop CS4 for Digital Photographers, or Dave Cross’ DVD: Adobe Photoshop CS4 Selections and Masks. Winners have already been notified and will be able to pick up their shirts at Photoshop World. PS: If you were one of the winners, a follow up email with instructions on where to go for your shirt will be arriving shortly.

Congratulations to all our winners and to everyone who entered. This contest was a very interesting Social Media experiment and I thank you for playing along. =)

MOO.com Special Offer for PSW Attendees

A little while back, I posted an offer from PSW Expo exhibitors, MOO.com. If you haven’t taken advantage of their special “Pre PSW” offer, you still have a few days left to do so! I’ve heard from more than one person who has used MOO.com before and they all agree, the print quality is outstanding! Here’s the details:

Left making business cards to the last minute?  Don’t worry – MOO.com will print them for you and hand deliver them to you at PSW, so you aren’t left stranded at the show.  If you’re planning to network, mingle, do business, make deals and get special offers, make sure you have business cards with you at the event to hand to everyone you meet.

Scribbling your e-mail and cell number on a piece of paper is pretty embarrassing, so take advantage of the special offer from MOO.com to get a 25% discount on your cards and pick them up at PSW! (Booth # 622)

MOO.com allows you to choose a different image for every card in a pack, so if you have a whole portfolio of photography, design, or products; you don’t just have to choose one.  Show off all your work in one pack of cards.

Order by Friday March 13th to take advantage of this exclusive offer. Special order code is D2659G.

PSW Tweet Up Update

In last week’s “News Bits” blog post, I asked everyone interested in attending a Photoshop World “Tweet Up” to weigh in on their preferred location. So far, the front-runner is the Lounge in the Sheraton Hotel (Official PSW Host Hotel). There’s still time to vote if you haven’t yet (just pick a place in the poll below) but for now, it looks like our “Tweeple” will be co-mingling with the NAPP Forum party at the Sheraton.
<a href =”http://answers.polldaddy.com/poll/1427589/” >Which TweetUp Location Do You Prefer?</a> <br/> <span style=”font-size:9px;” mce_style=”font-size:9px;”> (<a href =”http://www.polldaddy.com”> surveys</a>)</span>

Follow Along on Twitter

Last year at Photoshop World Vegas I could count the number of folks who used Twitter at PSW on one hand. Here we are, six months later, and all that has changed. Thanks to the #FollowFriday meme, we found roughly 120 NAPP members on Twitter. Plus, there are even more Twitter users out there who plan to be at Photoshop World! W00T! To that end, we are asking everyone who uses Twitter at PSW to try and include the hashtag “#PSW” in their Tweets.

Why, you ask? Adding the hashtag, #PSW gives an added context to your tweets. Plus, it makes it easier for everyone to follow along on everything that goes down at PSW!

And for those of you who don’t use Twitter? No problem! You can still follow along thanks to all the Twitter users out there who do! Just bookmark this page: http://search.twitter.com/search?q=%23PSW

Ok, some of you may be asking why you’d want to do that. Here’s a great example:

One of our blog readers (Hi Harold!) asked when Scott Kelby and the “Photoshop Guys” plan to tape their PSW episode of PhotoshopUser TV from the Expo floor. To be honest, I have no clue when that will take place, but I can practically guarantee that when they do, a Twitter user will be there and if that Twitter user adds the #PSW hashtag to his/her tweet, then everyone following that hashtag will instantly know what’s going on and can skedaddle on over to the Expo floor to catch the action!

Plus, even if you’re not at PSW, you can still follow along in real time! Aint Social Media grand?

Mimobot Joins PSW!

OK… This bit of news has me really psyched! I just confirmed yesterday that the folks at Mimoco (makers on Mimobots) will be joining us at the PSW Expo! Mimobots are “designer” USB flash drives featuring the awesome work of some of the world’s top “street designers” and other cool characters like Star Wars or Domo. Seriously, why just get a Flash Drive when you can get a Mimobot? Here’s just a taste of what they offer. I am so totally getting that mushroom dude!

Video: Corey Barker on Photoshop World

I thought I’d close this post with another video interview from NAPP Director, Larry Becker. This time around, it’s our very own “Photoshop Lad” Corey Barker. Enjoy!

See you in Boston!

Social Media Tips for PSW: The Hashtag

In terms of Social Media, a lot has changed between Photoshop World ’08 Vegas and the upcoming event in Boston. NAPP_News on Twitter has grown from 500 to over 2,100 followers, more NAPP members are emerging on Twitter, and even Scott Kelby is joining in on the fun.

Twitter is a great tool for broadcasting events as they unfold at Photoshop World and the best way, for anyone following along, to track these “tweets” is by using a “hashtag.”

Hashtags are a community-driven convention for adding additional context and metadata to your tweets. – Hashtags.org

Think of it like tagging a tweet just as you would tag a blog post or photo. Hashtags are are characterized by the placement of a hashmark in front of the word you use as your tag. (Example: #hashtag)

Last year at Photoshop World, we started using the tag, “#psworld.” By placing that hashtag at the beginning or end of any Photoshop World-related tweet, it automatically added context (see example below) and made it easier to for people to hear the latest from Photoshop World via Twitter searches. (see screen capture below)

Example 1:“Learning new lighting set up from Frank Cricchio.” << No context. You could be reading a blog or watching a video for all I know.

Example 2:“Learning new lighting set up from Frank Cricchio. #psworld” << Ah ha! You are at Photoshop World sitting in one of Frank Cricchio’s live photo shoot classes!

Here is a screen shot of a twitter search for the #psworld hashtag

By adding the #psworld hashtag to all your Photoshop World tweets, you are giving everyone interested in following the action, and easier way to do so.

Debate over what hashtag to use

Last year, there was a small discussion among the handful of twitter users who were planning on using hashtags at Photoshop World on what our preferred hashtag should be. We settled on #psworld (over #PSW) for one reason: context. Technically, “PSW” can mean a lot of things and, at that time, NAPP and Photoshop World’s existence in the “Twitterverse” was very, very small.

However, things certainly have grown since then… plus, I think the addition of our social media-based Top Ten Contest has really helped. That brings us to a new roadblock, the need for space.

Shortening our Hashtag to #PSW adds 4 extra characters to any post, which can make a world of difference and falls in line with some current schools of thought when it comes to hashtags.

While I am all for brevity (on twitter, not blogs obviously *blushin’*) I prefer the context aspect of #psworld. In the end, I noticed that people used a mixture of both (including me).

Regardless your preference, if you are attending Photoshop World and plan on utilizing Twitter, please consider adding a hashtag to your posts. It’s a great way for “tweeple” to track the events and it’s also a great way to make new connections through social media.

All Photoshop World attendees who will be posting to Twitter while they are there are encouraged to add the hashtag “#psworld” or “#PSW” to their tweets.