The Closing Ceremony Wrap Up

The beginning of the end started with Photoshop Guy, Larry Becker starting the closing ceremony with a video showing the pre-conference fun for those who were not fortunate to join the fun. Next, Joel Grimes spoke about creating photography and vision. We then were treated to a short video of the Opening Ceremony and the Keynote.

The ever-entertaining and 1st time instructor from my hometown (really!), Calvin Hollywood then took the stage for a quick look at one of his freaky Photoshop edits. Combining images of 2 people to create a non-existent person. Another short video showing some of the fun from day 1of Photoshop World. This followed by talented sport photographer Dave Black telling us about the road he’s taken to become the photographer he is today. He encourages the photographers to practice and commit to doing something better every day.

With sincere compliments and thanks to the NAPP video crew, Larry Becker presents another wrap-up video of Day 2. Included were entertaining clips from the always fun, Midnight Madness. Moose Peterson then shares a great video of his fantastic aviation photography.

Of course, you can’t have the closing ceremony without Scott Kelby taking the stage. He introduces his awesome assistant, Brad Moore and shares Brad’s excellent concert photography images and is very grateful for all that he does to help him out.

Finally it is prize time! Pete Labrozzi, Freddie Clark and Sharilyn Green were chosen as the finalists for Westcott’s “shoot it first contest”. Sherilyn was awarded a $1600.00 Westcott Spiderlite TD Continuous Lighting Kit for her beautiful image. She also happened to win a ticket to Jeremy Cowart’s Lifefinder DC workshop being held tomorrow. Other prizes included a Calumet gift card, a $1300 value Ben Willmore workshop and Nik Software Complete Collection among many, many, many more!

Prior to the final Grand Prize Award, Scott thanks Julie Stephenson. She is the brain-child who plans the Photoshop World events and received a standing ovation from the packed room. No doubt that planning this in a new location and venue, it must have had some great challenges.

And the Grand Prizes of Photoshop World Vegas is awarded to David Fordham….

And so it ends…

Closing Ceremonies

And so the beginning of the end…

Dave Cross’ Photoshop World DC 2012 Planning Assistant Available Now!

Photoshop World is just days away… And if you’re planning to experience the world’s best photography, lighting and Photoshop training but don’t know how to start devising your plan of attack, you’re in luck. Photoshop World instructor Dave Cross has once again created a helpful PDF that lets you pick your first and second choices.

How It Works:
Simply select a class from each pop-up menu to help you decide what class you want to attend for each time slot. Print out the page and once you get to the conference, check the signs for the room numbers and any last-minute changes.

Please note: While this doesn’t register you for the class (pre-registration is not required), it’ll help you plan out your days.

Click here to access Dave’s PSW DC 2012 Planner.

Don’t forget, you can also download our free PSW app. It not only lets you set up a schedule on your iPhone, iPad or Android phone, but offers pertinent information about the Photoshop World Expo and other PSW events.

Law Enforcement Training Day at Photoshop World Washington DC

If you work in law enforcement, you can now take part in a full day of training during Photoshop World Washington, DC…

Law Enforcement Training Day will be taking place at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center on Friday, March 23 from 8:30 am – 5:00 pm, you’ll join Adobe and leading digital forensics experts for an in-depth look at the subjects that will help you become more effective in using Photoshop and other digital tools for forensic investigations.

You’ll learn about:

- Image Verification — telling real images from manipulated images.
- Advanced camera technologies
- Photographic techniques
- Video, still and audio workflows for investigations
- Accurate image color capture and calibration
- Forensic artist use of Photoshop and more
- Speakers will be announced closer to the date.

Fees include:

- Full day of education
- Continental breakfast
- Lunch
- Afternoon snacks

Click here for more information and to register.

FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN ATTENDING PHOTOSHOP WORLD DC IN ADDITION TO THE ADOBE LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING DAY, PLEASE CONTACT KARLA SANFORD AT KSANFORD@KELBYMEDIAGROUP.COM FOR SPECIAL PRICING

The PSW Hashcaster Site Returns!

Photoshop World DC is just around the corner, which means that the PSW Hashcaster site is about to go live to help you constantly find the latest news!

There have been some great improvements to Hashcaster this year, including the ability to add video so all you video buffs out there, be sure to tag any Photoshop World videos you share with #PSW12 on Twitter so we can add them for all to see. Here’s a helpful guide to show you what Hashcaster is all about.

What is Hashcaster?
Hashcaster is a real-time Twitter curation platform setup to help you find the best content tweeted at Photoshop World and to help you easily identify and connect with top influencers.

Why you should use Hashcaster?
Keeping up with a fast trending hashtag on Twitter can be like drinking from a fire hose. It’s almost impossible to keep up with all those tweets, links, photos and videos generated by the thousands of attendees and non-attendees at an event. Hashcaster solves this problem by curating all this content into organized channels that you can view at anytime through the event’s Hashcaster web site.

However, Hashcaster doesn’t stop there. The Hashcaster platform continually monitors the hashtag Twitter stream to identify top influencers and contributors at the event, making it easier for you to connect with the who’s who.

Finally, you can become a top influencer yourself; the Hashcaster system evaluates each and every tweet in real-time to identify nuggets of knowledge and diamonds in the rough at PSW. One of those diamonds in the rough could be you!

How can I access Hashcaster?
You can access the Photoshop World Hashcaster site through your web browser, smartphone or tablet by visiting http://psw.hashcaster.com/home

How do I get my tweets, links, photos & videos on Hashcaster?
Hashcaster does all the work. You simply include the hashtag, #PSW12, in your tweets and the Hashcaster system looks after the rest. It’s that simple. Please note, we are still tracking the #PSW hashtag but a lot of non-Photoshop World attendees have been using it lately, so #PSW12 will be the event-related hashtag this year.

How do I become a Top Influencer on Hashcaster?
The Hashcaster system is continually evaluating the Twitter stream to determine who are the top influencers at any given time. This list of top influencers is literally updated with every new tweet. Becoming a top influencer depends on a whole range of factors that help the system identify those people that have the most positive impact on the hashtag community. Although there is no way to guarantee that you’ll become a top influencer, the following do’s and don’ts can help increase the likelihood that you’ll make the list.

Things that make you a positive contributor on Hashcaster.
• Tweet unique tweets with relevant content frequently.
• Get a story published on Hashcaster by tweeting high quality links to topical articles and blogs.
• Contribute photos or videos to Hashcaster.
• Retweet interesting and relevant tweets form other community members.
• Have a high Klout score.
• Have lots of followers in the hashtag community.

Things that make you a negative contributor on Hashcaster.
• Do not tweet out the same tweet over and over again.
• Do not tweet promotional links with little or no story content.
• Do not retweet every tweet in an attempt to increase you ranking.
• Do not use auto tweeting services that replicate your message across many user accounts. (this will get you blocked)
• Do not include profanity in your tweets (this will get you blocked)

Some final tips?
We have learned that people who share important event announcements and who tweet their experience (like quick tips that they learn in classes) not only become ranked contributors, but make lots of new friends along the way in the #PSW12 Twitterverse. Engage in the conversation (don’t be shy), don’t tweet anything you wouldn’t say in public, and support fellow Tweeps with generosity and good will.

Have fun!

Photoshop World Wrap Up – From Kevin

Well another Photoshop World has gone by and this year’s event has definitely set the standard for future events. Looking back, I will remember this year’s PSW Vegas as the “Networking” conference. I think I met more people this year than I have ever met at any conference- and I don’t mean just exchange your cards (I went through 150?!), but actually having conversations and getting to know people.

My two favorite experiences this year was a “Meetup” I held at House of Blues on Monday and the Official Tweetup. The first was for a small group of Twitter/Facebook friends who arrived early for the conference. We were all joking about how it is hard to picture how people really look without having the Twitter/Facebook avatar to go by.

Then there was the larger than life PSW Tweetup on Tuesday. I loved that Erik Valind and the gang from Wescott step up each year and do a great job with the photo booth. Even the Photoshop Product Team got involved in the festivities (see my earlier posts). Again, this was a great place to meet a lot of the people I have been talking to in social media over the past year and turn online acquaintances into real world friendships.

In case you missed Mel’s and Theresa’s posts, here is the link to the PSW Vegas Tweetup 2011 images on Flickr. And if you did miss their posts, shame! Read them – they have great insights. Be sure to check out my shot along with my buddy Ken Toney modeling a fun shirt we produced for the event featuring the Photoshop Guys.

As for the sessions, I love seeing Bert Monroy speak at every Photoshop World. Each time I get a glimpse into the genius it takes to pull off massive artwork like his “Times Square” piece. His techniques and tips using both Photoshop and Illustrator always inspire me to do better in my own work. Julieanne Kost was on fire this year with jokes, stories and great techniques and Photoshop Hall of Fame inductee Bryan O’Neil Hughes showed some great “Hidden Gems” at the Adobe Booth.

But my new favorite presenter at Photoshop World has to be David Black. Even though I am not a photographer by trade, I attended his “Guide to Sports Action Photography” and was blown away. I think one of the reasons this session appealed to me was it wasn’t another technique and equipment presentation. David simply showed his body of work on screen and talked about his work ethic (get there early and stay late). He talked to the group about his passion. He is a great presenter and can really involve you in his thought process and convey the emotions from his work. When you come to PSW, make it a point to attend at least one of his sessions.

Then there was the expo. There seemed to be a lot more time dedicated to the expo hall this year, which was great. There were a lot of big name vendors including Adobe, Wacom and FJWescott and smaller vendors that I learned about and will definitely be throwing some business their way. The highlight for many was the Wescott Shootout Booth. Each day, four new models and vignettes took shape and allowed photographers to get some great shots. Congrats to my buddy William Beem on winning the Shootout Contest held on day 1 and Patrick LaMontagne for releasing his new DVD at PhotoshopCafe.

Other highlights for me personally were seeing my friends from Wacom and getting to test drive the new Inkling. Many thanks to Wes, Dan and the crew for letting us play with their newest product. They literally had it shipped to them at the conference just so they could see it. Little did they know many of us wanted in on the fun too. I also got to participate in iStockphoto’s Photoshop Wars this year along with my friend Pete Collins (after heckling him from the front row). It was a very hectic and challenging contest against Corey Barker, but the good guys prevailed and Pete and I were declared winners. Many thanks to the folks at iStock for sponsoring this fun contest this year.

One lasting memory I will have from this year’s Photoshop World came out of an act of kindness. I was attending another function along with some of the instructors when a woman from Texas came into the room looking lost and puzzled. I noticed before she shyly walked away that she had an “I’m a Stranger” button from the Dinner with a Stranger program. I went over and asked if she was lost and she said she was. I offered to help her look around the Border Grille until we found the rest of the DWS party. The memory I will have is the response she received when we walked up to the table and everyone greeted her. They were warm, inviting and genuinely happy to see her. I walked away with the warm feeling that people you meet at PSW are genuinely nice folks and I actually wanted to stay with them! I know it was mentioned at the Wrap Up event that Mandalay Bay Security had made it a point to tell the conference organizers what nice people we all are, but this small gesture by a group of “strangers” really drove the point home for me.

This is the last thing I want to share with you as a Guest Blogger for PSW- It’s not just about the sessions you go to, or the techniques you will learn, it’s about the PEOPLE. It’s about instructors who care (as David Black so eloquently stated in the Wrap Up), it’s about meeting new people and expanding your network, your friendships and learning from others. You never know what or who will influence you when you attend an event like Photoshop World, but you can be assured that you will leave inspired, motivated, and elevated.

Many thanks to Nancy, Tom, Karla, Pete, Mel, Theresa, David, Kristina, William, Ken, and many many others who made this Photoshop World an event to remember.

Photoshop World Wrap Up – Best Of from Theresa

I’m back home now and back to work, but still dragging from a week of sleep deprivation. This was my second Photoshop World and even though it was different than last year, it was still an amazing experience. I want to share of few of my “PSW Best Of Experiences”. These are my personal observations, but I am sure they are shared by others.

The Best Overall Part Of Photoshop World

The conference evaluation asked, “Tell us what impressed you the most.”

The PEOPLE impressed me the most. All the people that make up Photoshop World are what makes PSW so special. This includes the attendees, the instructors, the NAPP employees and the expo vendors. Every single person I met was wonderful.

The Best Class

My favorite class was “Playing With Time” by Julieanne Kost. I learned things about Photoshop that I had never previously explored. Honestly that doesn’t happen too often for me. Julieanne imparted a ton of information in a rapid fire, humorous way. I was like a sponge soaking it all up. Now I need to go try some time lapse photography of my own.

Best Expo Booth

Anyone at Photoshop World with a camera, (which is pretty much everyone) will tell you the Westcott Booth blew everyone away. The models were over-the-top amazing. I filled a 4G card on the first afternoon.

The painted Alien Girl was one of the favorites. This was my entry to the Shoot It First competition. I was honored to be part of this competition and excited for Michael Reeves when he won. CONGRATS Mike!

Later in the afternoon I found myself on the other side of the camera lens. I’m not exactly sure how this happened, but I’ll just blame it on Vanelli. Looking out at 50 camera lenses pointed at me practically gave me a heart attack. Truthfully though, I learned a lot from the other side, and taking direction from Vanelli.

Thank you Lorne Marcum for this image.

Best Photoshop Tip

I really shouldn’t admit publicly that I didn’t already know this. I learned it during Bert Monroy’s class, “Painting With Photoshop”. When he showed it to us, I just kind of gasped and said, “OMG, how did I not know that?”

Try this check box under layer style blending modes. Knowing what this does will save me time and aggravation for almost every Photoshop design project I create. That’s a pretty good ROI for attending Photoshop World.

I’m already missing everyone and looking forward to my next PSW.

Footnote

I read Mel’s Recap while I was posting my own. I swear I didn’t read hers before I wrote this, and we didn’t talk about it either. I love that our reflections are so similar, especially the part about the people. Mel is one of those people. I’m so glad we met through Photoshop World.

Photoshop World: Bring On Day Two!

Well, Day 1 of Photoshop World has officially ended and Day 2 is underway!

Starting off yesterday with the amazing “Project Photoshop” Opening Keynote was a blast (those guys at NAPP sure know how to have fun). Not only was the keynote fun, but it was a unique event in that Adobe had a special announcement for us: Carousel, a new product that acts as a multiple device photography solution. The Adobe team that created it was there to join in the announcement, which was so great to see all of those people that work so hard on great product experiences for us.
The keynote is also where the Guru award winners and Photoshop Hall of Fame recipients are awarded. It is so amazing to see the work that NAPP members create… All awards were well deserved!

After the keynote the sessions got into full swing. I attended Small Flash Basics with Joe McNally to kick off the morning… And what a way to start it off! Joe always has a fun and informative session, and really just to watch him work is awe inspiring. His audience can really bask in his passion for all things photography. I look forward to more lighting with him tomorrow!

My next session was Portrait Retouching for Photographers with the man, the myth, the legend– Scott Kelby. Talk about awe inspiring…He can retouch in Photoshop in about 30 seconds, whereas it would take me 3 hours! Which is of course why I’m attending PSW… to learn from the best.

After roaming the grandiose Expo floor and catching some short demonstrations from RC Concepcion and Moose Peterson, it was time for my final session, Making a Difference with Your Camera by Jeremy Cowart. This session was thought provoking and truly a great way to finish up the first day of PSW.

I look forward to more great sessions tomorrow and finishing up the day with Midnight Madness fun!

Pre-PSW Checklist

Hi all, long-time attendee, first-time blogger. Just kidding. With less than a week to go I thought a recap for resources and tips for Photoshop World might be helpful.

For those first-time attendees or for those who want the inside scoop on how to get the most out of your Photoshop World experience, do not miss Larry Becker’s “First-Time Attendee Orientation” held Tuesday during the Pre-Con sessions. This event is FREE and is held in two sessions: 3:15–4:15 pm and 5:15–6:15 pm.

If you cannot attend Larry’s event, or want more information about Photoshop World or getting around Vegas in general be sure to check out my “Insider’s Guide to PSW”. You can download it here.

To help plan your schedules two electronic options are available for you. First is the PSW App by Shaun Welch available for the iPhone. If you don’t have an iphone or iPod Touch,  don’t worry there is the ever-popular PSW Schedule PDF by Dave Cross which you can download here.

Next, if you are on Twitter, be sure to sign up for the NEW Photoshop World Hashcaster Site for the latest information and roundup of all the day’s PSW news and important Tweets. You can sign up here. Speaking of Twitter, the Photoshop World Tweetup will be held Tuesday night at 8 pm just outside the registration area on the patio (same location as last year). This is a great opportunity for you to meet and network with other Photoshop World attendees and the instructors (including Scott Kelby himself).

Last, here is a handy checklist of things to remember when coming to Photoshop World:

1. Your Badge. It is the “must-wear” accessory at this year’s “Project Photoshop”.  You need it to get into any event during the conference. If you forget it, expect to be asked by staff to go back and get it.
2. Comfy shoes. As in shoes you can walk around in all-day and not get blisters. Learn from my first-year mistake. Ouch!
3. A sweater or jacket. Vegas may be 110° F next week, but the conference rooms are air conditioned so be prepared if you tend to get chills.
4. Water. There is water available in the back of the session rooms. However, if you are going on a photo-safari or photo-walk, bring water. In Vegas, it may be a dry heat, but 100°+ temperatures can sneak up on you.
5. Writing utensils. It seems every year I am borrowing my pen to the person seated next to me so they can fill out their evaluation forms at the end of a session. Don’t forget you may also want to take notes during the sessions.
6. Money. Now I don’t mean bring cash for the table games, but be sure to have your credit cards or cash on hand for the expo hall. Many exhibitors will be selling as well as displaying their wares and also there is the Kelby Training Bookstore. It’s like Target – expect to spend a lot more than you planned for.

Hope this list and resources help you make the most of your PSW experience. See you all next week in Vegas.

NAPP member, Kevin Stohlmeyer is an Adobe Certified Instructor, User Group Manager and Adobe Community Professional for Photoshop. A graphic designer specializing in digital illustration with more than 15 years experience in the field, Kevin has also been teaching the Creative Suite since 2000. Check out his blog posts at c2gps.com/blog.

Expo Alert: Fit To Print With Bay Photo!

Sure, your images may look great on a computer screen… But why not print your greatest hits to get the attention they absolutely deserve? It’s easier than ever with expert help from Bay Photo.

“We offer exceptional pro lab services, blended with one-on-one support, to photographic professionals throughout the United States and around the world,” declares Glen Clark, Cr. Photog., F/S-PPC, photographer and staff member at Bay Photo. “Whether you specialize in wedding, portrait, sport, school, landscape or other styles of imaging, our approach is to provide you with a large variety of solutions to help you maximize your efficiency and excel at your business.”

Bay Photo’s list of professional printing and photo finishing services is virtually endless. So whether you’re looking to get individual digital photo prints, photo books of your work or canvas prints of your most awe-inspiring works (or anything else really), Bay Photo will help you impress your clients.

“We’re pleased to offer a large selection of features, digital photographic print sizes, photo templates, mounting and photo finishing services, as well as specialty photo products,” proclaims Clark. “And, they’re all available through our state-of-the-art online ordering software, Bay ROES.”

During this year’s Photoshop World Expo, Bay Photo will be displaying and presenting the company’s wide variety of high quality products and services, including MetalPrints, canvas prints and wall clusters. So make sure to stop by the Bay Photo booth to get a firsthand look at the superstar ways to showcase your work.

“Bring your creative and open mind,” encourages Clark. “Be willing to consider many new ways to present, display and offer your images as both art pieces and professional quality photo products.”

So if you’re ready to have your work truly stand out, make sure to check out Bay Photo’s standout products and top-notch services at the PSW Expo!

Click here to download your FREE Expo Pass. Please note: Registered Photoshop World attendees get instant admission to the PSW Expo with their conference badge.