Photoshop Tutorials, Tips, and News | Planet Photoshop

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.

Comments (0) | Permalink

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.

Comments (2) | Permalink

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!

Comments (2) | Permalink

On My Way to the Big Apple!

May 5th, 2008 | Corey Barker

Well I just wanted to get a quick post in before I head out to the airport. I’m on my way to New York. Scott, Matt, RC, and I will be teaching at B&H Photo over the next few days in their new event space. I am especially excited because it has been almost 13 years since I was last in New York city. Obviously, a lot has changed there in recent years and it will be an exciting and emotional experience to be sure. Anyway, I will be posting updates of the event throughout the week so stay tuned. Have a good Monday.

Oh, and one quick thing. Those of you who watch my tutorials know that I am big movie fan. Well I saw Iron Man this weekend and I have to say it was certainly one of the coolest movies I have seen this year. For those who enjoy good action and awesome visual effects. This one is for you. Don’t miss it.

Comments (2) | Permalink

NAPP Week at B&H

May 2nd, 2008 | Corey Barker

Next Monday, May 5 (Cinco De Mayo) B&H Photo in New York will be hosting the first ever NAPP week in their new Event Space. If you live in or around the New York area, come by and see Scott Kelby, Matt Kloskowski, RC, and myself as we spend three days teaching various sessions in Photoshop, Lightroom, and Dreamweaver. These sessions are free but with limited seating. To make sure you have a seat, go to the B&H site and register for whichever session you would like to attend. Some sessions will be taught more than once over the three day period, so there will be more chances to get the same great material. I will be teaching Lighting Effects in Photoshop twice on Tuesday, May 6. Then I will be teaching Channels on Wednesday, May 7 and Thursday, May 8. You can find out more about these and other sessions, as well as register here. Hope to see you there. It’s going to be a lot of fun.

Comments (1) | Permalink

Congratulations Scott!!

May 1st, 2008 | Corey Barker

Peachpit Press announced that The Digital Photography Book Vol. 1 by Scott Kelby is the best-selling book on digital photography ever, having sold over a quarter-million copies so far. A big congrats to Scott for the tremendous success of this volume. It seems that Volume 2 is well on its way to being a best-seller as well, already surpassing numbers sold in the same time period as Volume 1. I will say this about this book, if you own a digital camera, whether it’s a point-and-shoot or an SLR, you should have this book close by. It’s an invaluable resource. Enough said!!

Comments (3) | Permalink

The Shroud Is Lifted

April 29th, 2008 | Corey Barker

Last week, Time magazine posted an article on their website revealing the identity of the guys responsible for the hilarious “You Suck At Photoshop” series that has been amusing the masses on YouTube for past couple months. Rumors abounded that the irreverent voice was that of actor/comedian Dane Cook. This, however, is not the case. This series is actually the brainchild of Troy Hitch and Matt Bledsoe. These two met while producing a radio ad in Cincinnati and became fast friends. They started writing a number of comedic sketches together and would eventually find fame in this off-the-wall look at learning Photoshop. If you haven’t seen this hilarious series of videos check them out here (Be warned - These clips do contain some explicit language.) Go here to read the full story on Time.com

Comments (1) | Permalink

New Course On Kelby Training

April 28th, 2008 | Corey Barker

Motion graphics guru Richard Harrington has just released his newest course: Photoshop & After Effects for Wedding Photographers. This course shows you how to dazzle your clients by creating presentations with flare. You will learn how to prepare photos for Power Point, Keynote, or even prepare a DVD slide show. If you’ve ever wanted to present your photos with a little more interest than a typical slide show, this course is for you. It’s available exclusively through the Kelby Online Training site. Find out more about this course, as well as others by Richard, by going here.

Comments (0) | Permalink

Scott Kelby in Hartford, CT | New Joe McNally Course

April 25th, 2008 | Corey Barker

That’s right. Scott Kelby will be back on the road next month as he brings his Photoshop CS3 Power Tour to Hartford, CT on May 13. This will be a full day of nothing but Photoshop goodness. Packaged in Scott’s famous teaching style, you will be entertained every bit as much as you learn the coolest effects and time-saving techniques anywhere. All this for the low price of $99 ($79 for NAPP members). So if you are in or around the Hartford area, you don’t want to miss the chance to learn from the best out there. Find out more about this and other seminar dates here.

Also, there is a new course from Joe McNally on the Kelby Online Training site. This one is called Using Small Flashes. Joe gets into utilizing small, hot shoe flashes in very creative ways. Don’t settle for just having the flash on the camera, break out and follow Joe as he shares innovative ways of getting the most from your flash systems. It is indeed a treat to be able to learn from one of the very best photographers working today. So don’t miss out. Find out more about this course and others here.

Comments (1) | Permalink

More and More Photoshop Stuff

April 22nd, 2008 | Corey Barker

If you are finding yourself wanting to get more acquainted the Photoshop, you must check out the National Association of Photoshop Professionals, otherwise known as the NAPP. This is an organization started by best-selling author and world famous Photoshop instructor Scott Kelby.

Since its inception, the NAPP has amassed over 70,000 members worldwide and has become the largest graphics organization around. The member website is the hub for NAPP members everywhere, providing everything you could imagine. There’s a massive tutorial library that is updated weekly with tutorials from Matt Kloskowski, Dave Cross, RC Concepcion, and myself, among others. There is also a free portfolio site for all members, a member supported forum community, and a subscription to NAPP’s official publication, Photoshop User Magazine, plus so much more. There are also exclusive member discounts offered by major industry retailers such as Adobe, Apple, Dell, B&H Photo, CDW, etc. NAPP also produces Photoshop User TV and members can access past episodes for free. Also, as a member you get discounts to the NAPP’s bi-annual conference Photoshop World. The very best part is that you get all this for the low annual membership fee of $99. Find out more here and join us today.

Comments (2) | Permalink

More Hollywood Inspiration

April 21st, 2008 | Corey Barker

A while back I did a post about a company called Daniel Clark and Associates. They design marketing material for major motion pictures. Well, there is another company I found online that does even more cool Hollywood stuff. They are called BLT & Associates and get this, their site is bltomato.com. That’s too funny and with a portfolio of Hollywood’s biggest blockbusters, they have truly cemented themselves as the source for feature film branding. Just looking through their portfolio of images always sparks something for me. They have just recently redesigned their site with neat Flash interactivity that allows you to move around a mosaic of movie posters. It really is pretty cool! Check it out!

Comments (0) | Permalink

Photoshop Book of the Week

April 17th, 2008 | Corey Barker

This week I recommend Photoshop for Video by Richard Harrington. This book covers the information you need to implement Photoshop into your video workflow. It covers using channels effectively, setting up automation, creating interesting effects, and much more. If you want to get a better handle on working with Photoshop in your video workflow then this is the book for you. Richard is an Adobe Certified Expert in Photoshop and After Effects and is an instructor at major events like Photoshop World and NAB. His visual communications consultancy, RHED Pixel, creates motion graphics and produces video and multimedia projects. Richard also has a blog at RasterVector.com and another at PhotoshopForVideo.com. You can also find out more about his book here.

Comments (2) | Permalink

New Workshop!

April 16th, 2008 | Corey Barker

Famed wedding photographer and Photoshop World instructor David Ziser has a new workshop. It’s called David’s Digital Master Class, and if you want to improve your flash technique, your photography expertise, your Photoshop and Lightroom skills, and build a more profitable business, then David’s Master Class is for you. Nobody can put more down to earth, practical, usable ideas into a week long course than David - he’s been doing it for over 20 years. By incorporating David’s class information, you will quickly see improved results in your lighting, imagery, and your bottom line. The cost - only $795. Call 800.292.2994 today to register - class size is limited to only 25 participants. All info at www.davidziser.com.

Comments (0) | Permalink

PhotoshopUser TV Live from Photoshop World

April 15th, 2008 | Corey Barker

This week’s episode of PhotoshopUser TV was filmed at Photoshop World in Orlando. The Photoshop Guys are in usual form as they bring cool Photoshop tips right from the showroom floor. Also, RC managed to make his way around the Expo and talk with a few of the vendors at the event. Check that episode out here.

Also, as you may remember, Adobe released a public beta of Lightroom 2.0 and it has gotten a lot of people asking questions as to whether or not they should try it. Matt Kloskowski, who hosts the Lightroom Killer Tips site, posted a very informative Q&A regarding common about questions on this very subject. Check that out here.Oh yeah, and have a Happy Tax Day!!

Comments (0) | Permalink

“See What’s Possible” Winners

April 14th, 2008 | Corey Barker

For those of you who haven’t heard - the winners for the $20,000 design contest put on by Cut & Paste and Adobe were announced at Photoshop World. The winners and finalists’ animations can be viewed here on John Nack’s blog. You can also view other entries on YouTube. These animations are simply incredible and the quality is amazing. Very creative stuff. A big congratulations goes out to TJ Sochor for winning the grand prize of $20,000 and the entire Master Suite. In other news, Scott Kelby was in Dubai over the weekend teaching at the Adobe Middle East Conference. He posted some really cool pictures of interesting landmarks on his blog.

Comments (0) | Permalink