In the latest saga from Donnie Hoyle (You Suck at Photoshop #10), Donnie puts things in perspective using Vanishing Point…

Source: AfterEllen.com
Written by Dorothy Snarker

As the Sex and the City movie fast approaches (May 30, have you circled the day on your calendar with a big red pen yet?), new photos of the fabulous foursome have been released to promote the premiere. The ladies look like no time has passed since they first began sipping cosmos together on-screen a decade ago. Ah, Hollywood magic. Still, some news outlets are expressing surprise that the actresses may have been digitally enhanced in the promo pictures. Um, duh?

Unique Creative Suite 3 Video Content Available Via Adobe Media Player and New Web Destination

Press Release: SAN JOSE, Calif. — April 9, 2007 — Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced Adobe® TV, a free online video resource for expert instruction and inspiration about Adobe products, including the company’s Creative Suite 3 family of world-class creative tools. With multiple channels, original series programming, and content from Adobe, leading training organizations and the world’s leading subject matter experts, Adobe TV delivers a virtual library of entertaining and instructional videos. Designers, photographers, video professionals, and developers will find product deep-dives, innovative tips, techniques from luminaries, and behind-the-scenes tours of the hottest creative shops and Adobe product teams.

Designed to educate, inspire, and entertain the creative community, Adobe TV is immediately available online from the Adobe Web site at http://tv.adobe.com , or as a network with multiple shows in the new Adobe® Media Player 1.0 software, also announced today (see separate press release). Adobe Media Player offers a broad range of television programming and entertaining video content from major television broadcasters and leading content publishers, including CBS, MTV Networks, Universal Music Group, PBS, CondéNet, and Scripps Networks.

Last week, John Nack, senior product manager for Photoshop, posted a blog entry regarding Adobe’s roadmap for 64-bit versions of Creative Suite apps–notably Photoshop CS4. John notes there will be a 64-bit version for Windows but not for Macintosh. Well, the shyte hit the fan so to speak. (read John’s blog entry here). You can read the “official” Adobe statement on 64-bit here(it’s a 60KB PDF download).

As might be expected, there was a whole lot of blame being slung about as well as comments from the digerati (on both sides of the argument) for why this has come to pass.

It should be noted that Adobe has long been about as platform agnostic as any software company can be. All of the mainline CS3 applications are truly cross=platform with the exception of minor keyboard commands. And while Premiere Pro had been dropped from the Mac, it’s back and better than ever. Yes, it sometimes takes longer for the Mac versions-case in point Photoshop Elements 6.0 only recently was released for Mac while the Windows version was released about 6 months ago. There are very few things that Adobe works on that isn’t essentially equal on both Mac and Windows-except for this next version of Photoshop CS4.

Why?

Source: CNET
Written by Stephen Shankland

Responding to criticism, Adobe Systems has modified the legal terms for using its online Photoshop Express service, a move the company promised would happen.

Press Relsease: SAN JOSE, Calif. - April 2, 2008 - Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2.0 beta, a public preview of new and improved functionality to be delivered in the next major release. Lightroom is the professional photographer’s essential toolbox, providing one application for managing, adjusting, presenting large volumes of digital photographs. Lightroom 2.0 beta will feature enhancements such as dual-monitor support, localized dodge and burn correction and will be the first Adobe application to support 64-bit for Mac OS X 10.5 Intel Macs and Microsoft Vista 64-bit operating systems.

No, I’m not going to Disney World…but I am in Orlando getting ready for the kick-off of this year’s Photoshop World.

The theme this year is THE EVOLUTION (probably because of the “evolution” of Photoshop) and rumor has it that Scott Kelby will be dressed as Captain Kirk and the staff will be the crew of the Starship Enterprise.

I’ve already run into Scott (not literally-I just saw him walking by on crutches). Seems Scott had a little accident. It’s either a 1)-a skiing accident while in the Swiss Alps, 2)-a kick boxing accident when delivering a vicious round kick or 3)-an unfortunate treadmill incident. We’ll investigate and report back so stay tuned…

Just found this story from Scott’s blog: I’m Heading to Photoshop World today. On Crutches!

The Lightroom 1.4 update for Mac and Windows has been temporarily removed from the Adobe.com web site. Those Lightroom users who have installed Lightroom 1.4 should uninstall the update and install Lightroom 1.3.1.(Mac, Win) until a further update can be provided.

For those not in immediate need of the updated camera support available in Camera Raw 4.4 or the DNG 4.4 Converter, it’s recommended that you also continue working with the 4.3.1 versions. (Mac, Win) This decision is based on the following errors that have been discovered with the recent update:

The Lightroom 1.4 and Camera Raw 4.4 updates have been posted to the following locations: Lightroom(Mac, Win), Camera Raw(Mac, Win). The updates include support for the following new camera models:

Since we recently celebrated Photoshop’s 18th birthday, it seems a lot of people are finding old Photoshop “stuff”. These icons were recently posted on http://blog.cocoia.com, with some, uh, well, less than positive comments. Even John Knoll, Photoshop’s coauthor (and brother of Thomas) felt compelled to respond:

In spite of the fact that John Nack, senior product manager for Photoshop, has been working hard on his new baby (Photoshop CS4) it seems that he and wife Margo have ALSO been working on a new baby, Finnegan Liggett Nack (“Finn” to future pals).

On his blog John writes:

Source: CNET
Written by Stephen Shankland

Think of it as digital photography 2.0.

In the last decade, photography has been transformed by one revolution, the near-total replacement of analog film cameras by digital image sensors. Now researchers and companies are starting to stretch their wings by taking advantage of what a computer can do with sensor data either within the camera or on a full-fledged PC.

Mexican photographer, Javier S. Sanudo (Frodo 47 on Flickr), balances a trained eye in the classic beauty of portraiture, with the his own dark imaginings through the creative use of photo-manipulation.

Source: Nonstarvingartists.com
Posted by jwanamaker

The best way to describe Frodo 47’s photography is simply, ‘finding the beauty in darkness’. Sanudo’s personal photo series “Creacion de Imagenes” was inspired by “images of madness and indifference you see on the streets.” He then twists the images until they take the form of his sometimes nightmarish imaginings.

“I have always preferred to be alone, creating my own ‘bubble’ in my mind.”

Source: Daily Mail
Written by Emily Sheridan

Introducing Carlizina Jolectron, the latest Hollywood beauty.
On closer inspection, the stunning actress appears rather familiar.

In fact, Carlizina isn’t even a real woman - she’s a digital combination of Angelina Jolie, Charlize Theron and Carmen Electra.

New Program Honors Most Creative High School Students

Press Release: SAN JOSE, Calif. — Feb. 26, 2008 — Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced a call for entries for the Adobe School Innovation Awards. The awards program honors the creative and innovative work of high school students.

With the theme “My Community - My Planet - My 21st Century” students can submit entries in three categories: Web Design and Development, Film and Video, and Graphic and Print Design. Category award winners will be named, as well as one grand prize winner for best overall submission.

Source: WIRED
Written by Anick Jesdanun

NEW YORK (AP) — Sometimes, a photo is simply too good to be true. Tiny details in an image, for instance, may be too similar to have occurred naturally, suggesting a cut-and-paste maneuver. Or the color patterns may be too “normal” - beyond the limitations of sensors on digital cameras.

A growing number of researchers and companies are looking for such signs of tampering in hopes of restoring credibility to photographs at a time when the name of a popular program for manipulating digital images has become a verb, Photoshopping.

PSN posted a story earlier today noting that CNET has posted a poll about Poll: Which is better, Aperture or Lightroom?

Well, so far the poll results as of 5:45PM Central have Apple’s Aperture out ahead by a whopping 63.4% to Lightroom’s 36.6%. Could it be that people are really that more impressed with Aperture than Lightroom?

I suppose it could be…but since this is the season of politics and polls, I though I would look into this a little bit.

Press Release: TAMPA, Fla.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–If you want to use Adobe Photoshop like a pro, then you have to master the Photoshop tool that the pros rely on most - Layers.

That’s the rationale behind Layers: The Complete Guide to Adobe Photoshop’s Most Powerful Feature – the latest book by world-class Photoshop instructor and author, Matt Kloskowski. Written in casual, easy-to-understand language, Layers shows Photoshop users of all skill levels the tips and techniques they not only need to succeed, but to excel.

Described by the author as, “the Photoshop book I wish had been around when I was learning Photoshop,” Layers covers such topics as working with and managing multiple layers, building multi-layer images, blending layers together, and layer masking in a clear, concise, fully-illustrated style that makes learning easy and fun. Additionally, the book delves into layers-based photo retouching and design techniques that save valuable time and produce stunning results.

Source: CNET
Posted by Stephen Shankland

The good news is that there’s some competition again for software to edit and catalog raw images, the detailed and flexible file formats from higher-end cameras. The bad news is that anybody buying the software has a harder choice to make.

With the new Aperture now available and Lightroom just celebrating its first birthday, I thought it opportune to survey readers. What would you buy? What would you advise somebody else?

Read entire story and vote in the poll

As with many milestones in history, people tend to remember them in the context of their own life. Since we now know (or at least believe) that Photoshop 1.0 shipped on February 19, 1990 (and Lightroom shipped on the same day of February 2007), Jeff Schewe asked a few friends “where were you”? Here are their answers…

In the grand scheme of human history, February 19th may not go down as a momentous occasion, but it’s recently come to light that at least in the world of digital imaging, today signifies a more important date than most anybody realized. And that folks, is the delicious irony.

Source: CNET
Written by Ina Fried

DeviantArt gets 1.5 billion page views a month, making it one of the most popular Web sites that many people have never even heard of.

Despite the name, only a fraction of the art on the site is what might be labeled deviant. In reality, the site boasts millions of user-uploaded works of art, everything from photography to 3D digital conceptual art to old-fashioned canvas-and-paint portraits.

Looking for a place to show off your top work?
The NBA and Midway are looking for YOUR Chosen One entries. It’s time to fire up Photoshop, get creative, and get ready to compete with NBA Fans around the world.

Photo op by Peter Kennard

The camera never lies – or does it? Peter Kennard and Alexander Rodchenko have both manipulated images to undermine those in power. The results are subversive and unsettling, says Tom Lubbock

Source: The Independent

What is the power of images? Take this one. It shows Tony Blair, in shirt and tie, facing more or less front, and grinning hard, as he takes his own photo. But behind him the scene is entirely filled with the smoke and fire of a massive explosion, blowing the desert apart. Its detonation seems to be simultaneous with Blair’s snap.

Source: Bermama.com
BEIJING, Feb 18 (Bernama) — An award-winning photographer in Tibetan antelope protection has apologised to the public for a picture he faked showing more than 20 of the animals roaming peacefully under a railway bridge where a train was passing, Xinhua news agency reported Monday.