September 5-7, 2012 - Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino - Las Vegas
Janine has shared some great tips from the seasoned veteran POV, but I wanted to share some thoughts about Photoshop World from a newbie’s perspective. I know there a lot of us that are attending Photoshop World for the first time and I want to be sure that we all arrive in Vegas with everything we need to ensure we have a FIRST CLASS Photoshop World experience.
First off, have you started packing yet? I am not suggesting that your suitcases be loaded up and sitting next to the door. Have you gathered up all your laptop travel gear and checked your camera bag to make sure you have all the lenses, batteries, memory cards, card readers, power cords, etc. While you won’t “need” your laptop to get the most out of your classes, chances are you will want to stay on top of email and upload all the great images you will capture while in Vegas. Quite honestly, I am more concerned about my gear than I am about the clothes I am bringing.
But you have to wear clothes, right? So start thinking about that too. Think about the items in your closet that are most versatile. If you are packing a lot of gear make sure you pack your clothes intelligently (airlines do charge now to check bags). Choose the right shoes, don’t pack several pairs, just pack the two that will work best for you. Don’t forget a lightweight jacket for the convention center rooms (I have been to plenty of Kelby Training Live sessions and they keep the rooms COLD).
You’ve got business cards? Don’t leave them at home and make sure you bring plenty. It’s not to late to place an order to ensure you have enough. There will be plenty of people you will want to share cards with, don’t miss out on the opportunity to keep in touch with the new friends you meet.
Have you checked out Dave Cross’s Photoshop World Planner? No newbie should head to Vegas without it. Dave has created something that everyone can benefit from. And yes, I think you should fill it out in it’s entirety. With Dave’s planner, you can rest assured that you won’t miss the classes that you want to check out; however, make SURE when you check in at registration, you write down the room numbers for your classes and you become somewhat familiar with the layout of the rooms — otherwise, Dave’s planner won’t work!
Finally, make sure you check out all Vegas has to offer. Sure, you are attending Photoshop World for all the photography and Photoshop information any human can possibly handle in three days, but don’t forget that Vegas is open all night long. Hit the Tweet-up to mingle with your Twitter friends, sign up for a photowalk (there are several happening in Vegas), and get out of the hotel. The Mandalay Bay has the BEST pool in Vegas, check it out!
Hopefully, you found my thoughts of some value. This can be the trip of a lifetime, but you’ve got to do some planning to get the most out it.
Kristopher Saim is an Experiential Marketing Executive and Photographer in Kansas City, MO. On the interwebs you can find Kristopher on Twitter @ksaim and check out his blog The Kansas City Wedding Photographer.
Posted in Classes, Fun, Guest Post, Pre-PSW Planning, Thoughts on PSW
Hear that sound? The stadium is filling up and Photoshop Fans are doing “the wave.” Welcome to the NAPP Bowl aka: Photoshop World – The Western Conference, aka: The Official Conference of NAPP! As you probably already know, this year’s theme is football and on October 1st, Photoshop World officially kicks off with the “Adobe Halftime Report” (Keynote Presentation) featuring Scott Kelby, Matt Kloskowski, and Dave Cross.
If this is your first Photoshop World experience, prepare yourself. The Keynote is a truly outrageous event that sets the tone for three days of the most intense Photoshop and photography learning experience on the planet!
Not only will you be wildly entertained by the stage and video show NAPP puts on for the audience, but this is also when our Keynote Speaker, John Loiacono – senior vice president and general manager of the Adobe Creative Solutions Business Unit, lets the audience in on the absolute latest news from Adobe. Yep! You read that right. Whatever Adobe has up its sleeves breaks at Photoshop World first!
After the Keynote, prepare yourself for the most mind-blowing three-day learning adventure you’ve ever experienced. Yes, you will feel like your head is going to explode. Yes, you will be exhausted. Yes, you will meet some amazing people and have a blast. And yes, you will retain it all with the help of your 800+ page “Playbook.”
A word of advice: As soon as you get your Photoshop World “Playbook,” turn to the back and rip out all the feedback forms so you can take them with you to your classes and not have to lug your book with you. You’ll want those feedback forms so you can give us your thoughts on every class… Yes. We DO read every single one!
You’ll also need the largest feedback form for the Closing Ceremony. Why you ask? Because that feedback form is also your “lottery ticket” to a slew of prizes from the Photoshop World vendors and sponsors that we give away like crazy at the end of the conference. The Closing Ceremony is also when we look back at all the fun and excitement that was captured by our video crew during PSW. How these guys manage to pull it off is a total mystery but it’s a “must see” for sure. Not only that but many of our instructors from the most popular classes of the Conference will take the stage one more time to drive home that last bit of learning or to inspire your creativity. Think of it as our parting gift.
On a final note, we just want to say that the team of people behind NAPP is also the same team that you’ll wind up meeting in the halls of PSW pointing out directions with giant foam fingers, or introducing instructors at the start of classes, or working the info booths. Photoshop World is the only time that we get to step out from behind our computers and actually meet the people we do this for… you. That’s why we work so hard to get you to join us there. Photoshop World truly IS the most amazing Photoshop and photography learning experience there is. We know this because we get to experience it too and we hear it from every attendee we meet.
See you in Vegas!
PS: As a special bonus, you can still save $50 on your Photoshop World registration by using the code PW09-ADPM when you call 800-738-8513 or register online! https://www.photoshopworld.com/register.html We understand that budgets are tight, so we will be leaving this offer open until September 29.
Posted in Pre-PSW Planning, Thoughts on PSWWe’re putting the finishing touches on what’s new for Photoshop World – The Western Conference and registration will be opening next week!
We’ve also made some changes to the Photoshop World Emails. Gone is the “Top Ten Contest.” Instead, we will be sending out a monthly “E-newsletter” that contains all the latest updates as we gear up for Photoshop World. We’re also planning some really cool, random drawings too so be sure to SIGN UP and get in on the fun!
Ok… That’s all for now. I have to get back to work if we’re gonna launch this in time.
Just remember:
Wow. It’s hard to believe that PSW was just two weeks ago! Here at NAPP HQ, we are already gearing up for PSW – The Western Conference in Las Vegas, Oct. 1-3, at Mandalay Bay.
Image courtesy of NAPP Member, Don Ricklin. Click the image to see his Flickr PhotoStream
This is where you come in. Photoshop World Boston was our most successful PSW yet and we want to make it even better! We are currently pouring through all your feedback slips from the event, which I’m sure will be full of helpful tips, but I need more from you: the PSW blog readers and social media users.
Boston was our first real foray into bringing the PSW experience to the web. Last year in Vegas, I think there were maybe ten people at the event using Twitter. This year, there were probably hundreds and by the time Vegas rolls around, there could even be thousands.
Social media is exploding faster than ever and we want to stay ahead of the curve if possible. The best way that I can think of in order to do that is with your help.
Give us your feedback on the social media aspect of PSW:
NAPP members: Photoshop World is your conference! Everyone who attends PSW is a NAPP member (did you know that non-NAPP members receive a one-year NAPP membership as part of their conference pass?) Help us make this a better experience for everyone and as an added bonus, I will randomly select one blog comment and give its author a special prize!
Thank you!
Posted in Thoughts on PSWIt’s Sunday and now that I’ve had a day to rest (and ~finally~ sleep!) after the whirlwind of awesomeness that is Photoshop World, I thought I’d take a moment to reflect on a few of the things that I learned from the experience…
There’s a lot more that I learned but the point is, everyone learned something at Photoshop World this year. Now, it’s time for you to show us!
Please leave a comment here telling us what you learned. Give us links to your photos, or better yet, put together a post and send it to me! I will do my best to publish every post (or link to a post) that I get!
One of the biggest aspects of Photoshop World (in my opinion) is the level of inspiration our instructors try to instill… How were you inspired? Let us know!
Email all posts, links, pictures etc to topten[at]photoshopuser.com
Posted in Show Coverage, Thoughts on PSWSeriously, next to our own Scott Kelby, John Paul Caponigro has to be the most dedicated blogger/PSW Instructor I know.
When Scott launched his co-blogging initiative in Vegas last year, John Paul became the glue that corralled everyone’s blogs together.
John Paul Caponigro FTW! =)
Posted in Instructors, Show Coverage, Thoughts on PSWOn Monday, I posted what I thought was every single Photoshop World Poster from the last ten years. I ~thought~ one was missing but I just figured that it had been lost over the years. Turns out I was wrong… oh, so wrong.
Turns out Scott had an ace up his sleeve and if you’ve been to his blog, you already know this. See? This is what I get for trying to scoop the “unscoopable.” Hahaha! ;D
People ask me all the time if working for Scott Kelby is as fun as it seems. The answer, my friends, is a resounding “YES!” What you see, and read, and hear, and learn from Scott and the team is really the “real deal” … and ~that’s~ what makes Photoshop World the best conference there is!
Because Photoshop World is such a learning-intensive event, the task of plotting out which classes to attend can be a bit daunting. Fortunately, we have Dave Cross. Every year, Dave creates a handy (and extremely helpful) Photoshop World Planner to help you organize your agenda. His latest edition (PSW Planner 3.0) is now available via his blog. Plus, being the awesome teacher he is, Dave has also created a shot video on how the PSW Planner works for you.
View the video and download Dave’s Planner here.
Since 2009 marks the tenth year of Photoshop World, we thought it might be nice to give you a gallery of Photoshop World themes gone-by. Please feel free to share your Photoshop World memories in the comments section. We’d love to hear what you remember!
Posted in Thoughts on PSWI think the best way to gauge the true caliber of any product, service or event is to go straight to the masses. If we truly inspire as many people as we say we do during our three-day Photoshop lurve fest, then there has to be reviews from past attendees out there… and there are.
Meet AaronVan – Designer, Photographer, Photoshop World attendee, Orlando, Fl 2008.
“… so much of who I am as a photographer today is thanks to the experiences I had in those 3 days last year. The people I met, the classes I attended and just generally having access to the information and inspiration provided was priceless. PSW was one of the best conferences I had ever attended mostly because of the attention to detail and I could really feel that there was an honest devotion to making it the best it could be.
I actually went to this conference for the graphic design side of things. I have been a freelance designer for over 10 years so of course, Photoshop World sounded like something I couldn’t miss. I have also been involved with photography for over 15 years but never at a professional level. When I signed up for the conference I had already gotten back into photography pretty heavily and when I started reviewing classes I realized just how much of an opportunity this really was for the photography side of things too. I signed up for the portfolio review to get an idea of where my skills were at the time and also attended the precon lighting workshop.
This is a photographic exploration of my time at the 2008 Photoshop World conference in Orlando, FL.
Since last April I feel that I have furthered my photography tenfold, I met so many great people and was so inspired by what I heard and saw, I absolutely loved “The Art of Digital Photography.” I could have sat in that room and watched for days! Graphic design has always been a love but I am not as passionate about it as I am about photography so in the last 8 months I have begun making the transition to working in photography full time. I actually had my first published work last week, very exciting! I still have a ways to go but just the fact that I am on that path now is huge and I owe most of that drive and motivation to PSW.
All of the instructors were wonderful and I have a lot of respect for each and every one of them. I love that I can follow them and continue to learn through their various blogs and I hope to one day have more time under their direct tutelage.
"To top off the day remember that line I was sitting in at 5:30am, well those tickets were for Midnight Madness which was that night! Yeah I know, I did the math too and yes it was a loooong day!" - AaronVan
I am not able to get to Boston this year but I am working feverishly towards attending PSW in Vegas as I don’t think I could wait for it to come back to Orlando before I went nuts from not being in the environment again.
.Tons more to learn, tons more to do, if you look through my flickr account I think you’ll see a fairly defined line between the work I was doing before last April and what I’ve done since, all of which I can genuinely attribute to my Photoshop World experience.”After Midnight Madness - "...on the way back to my car I took some time to see what I could capture if I put some of the techniques and concepts from the days teachings into action." - AaronVan
‘Nuff said. Thanks Aaron. Can’t wait to meet you in Vegas!
Read Aaron’s blog posts from Photoshop World:
Day Three: The Art of Digital Photography
Day Four: More classes… Meeting Joe McNally
Aaron’s Flickr page – “If you look through my flickr account I think you’ll see a fairly defined line between the work I was doing before last April and what I’ve done since, all of which I can genuinely attribute to my Photoshop World experience.”
When it comes to the bundle of awesomeness that is Photoshop World, you know that I’m going to do nothing but sing the praises over here… That’s why I did a lil’ poking around and a lil’ asking around for other people’s blog posts about Photoshop World.
It only seemed fair, ya dig?
Hare’s what I found.
We have attended many conventions and seminars over the years and we can tell you first hand most of them are not worth your time or hard earned $$$, but we can tell you that Photoshop World and becoming a member of NAPP is worth it’s weight in gold. So if your looking to learn from seasoned professionals, guys like Dave and the amazing Joe McNally, then look no further than PHOTOSHOP WORLD…………..
- Jared & Trish from Studio ATG
I can honestly say, [Photoshop World] was the best time of my life! I not only crammed my head full of amazing information, but I met a ton of really great people who I am still friends with to this day. Also, it wasn’t boring! FAR FROM IT! Photoshop World is actually run by a bunch of big goofy kids who like to play just as hard as they work (and they work very very hard!) So, you may suffer from lack of sleep while you’re there, but you will never suffer from lack of fun, knowledge or inspiration.
- Elizabeth from Design by Firgs
...my mind started running on what could be done with the title... and with a few of the tips I picked up at Photoshop World in Las Vegas, I could actually picture how to do this.
- Mitch Bolton from his tutorial on Ripples
Just got back from Photoshop World. My brain is so full of cool tricks and new techniques… three days of delicious adobe creations! The coolest new thing I learned was Motion Control 3D. …
These guys really do make it easy to have a good time, and the uplifting positive attitude of all the instructors and NAPP staff is probably what makes this event so wonderful. It’s really a great thing to see so many people together at one time (participants included) who obviously just love their jobs! It makes me feel like I’ve picked the right path for a career.
If you would like to share your thoughts on Photoshop World, please feel free to comment here with a link to your blog.
See you in Boston!
Posted in Show Coverage, Thoughts on PSW
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This is what I get for trying to scoop the “un-scoopable.” Click here to read Scott’s blog.
![[After Midnight Madness]...on the way back to my car I took some time to see what I could capture if I put some of the techniques and concepts from the days teachings into action. Needless to say I didn’t get back home until 2:30am. - AaronVan](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3073/2640775245_be2492c183.jpg "Experimenting w/Photography after Midnight Madness")
