Adobe's Lightroom 3 Public Beta Is Now Available.

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lr3
Adobe’s Lightroom 3 Public Beta is now available.
Download it now.
Highlights include …
1 Importing has been redesigned
2 Collections panel in the Develop Module
3 Better Noise Reduction
4 Grain feature
5 Improved vignetting controls
6 Drag and Drop Publishing to the Web
7 Watermarking
8 Export Slideshows with music
9 Custom Print Package for creating print layouts
10 Change the background color of prints
Find over 12 useful video tutorials on the new features at NAPP’s Lightroom 3 Learning center here.
Find Seth Resnick and Jamie Spritzer’s D-65 free PDF here.

Using Star Ratings

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It’s important to think about how you use star Ratings (in Adobe Camera Raw and Lightroom). Not everyone uses them the same way. However you decide to use them, you should use them consistently. Otherwise, when you browse multiple folders, you’ll have to interpret the same symbols differently in different contexts. That gets confusing fast!
I like the 5 star rating system. It helps make useful distinctions with only a touch more granularity than 3 levels of distinction – typically high, medium and low. It doesn’t get as granular at 10 levels of distinction, so you can cut to the chase fast. It’s used in other venues like restaurants and hotels so it’s familiar. Still, I don’t find using 1 and 2 star ratings useful for ranking the quality of images; I have no use for images that are below average. The images use are either good – 3, better – 4, or excellent – 5. So, I use 1 and 2 stars for something else. I use 1 star to identify a good idea in a substandard exposure or composition; I’ll try and use the idea later with better material. I use 2 stars to identify images that are good for composites; the exposures are fine but the composition is unfinished.
How do you use star ratings?
Comment here.
We discuss this and many other subjects in my field workshops.
Learn more about composition in my field workshops.
Upcoming dates include …
8/9-15 – Iceland … 10% discount ends June 20.

10/16-19 – Fall Foliage … 15% discount ends August 15.

PSW Keynote – Configurator & Watermarker

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Adobe’s John Loiacono, Russell Brown, and John Nack gave a great overview of all the key new CS4 features making a compelling case for upgrading. They noted that there have been many free enhancements to the product line since the release, including great updates for Camera Raw. If you upgraded, but didn’t get these updates, get them! And there’s a new utility that let’s you make your own custom panels – Configurator. NAPP has made a new panel to help make watermarking your images a breeze. It’s free to members.
Missed the event? See it here!
Check these other blogs for co-coverage of the event.
Corey Barker
John Paul Caponigro
RC Concepcion
Dave Cross
Jim Divitale
Laurie Excell
Martin Evening
Richard Harrington
Scott Kelby
Matt Koslowski
Deke McClelland
Joe McNally
John Nack
Moose Peterson
Jeff Schewe
Colin Smith
Ben Willmore
David Ziser
Find out more about Photoshop World here.

Coblogging Photoshop World XVII

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Precons at Photoshop World XVII start today.
We’re coblogging again. Presenters will try and make one post a day of a highlight.
I haven’t even started my Epson Print Academy Precon (today from 1-5 with Rodney and Schewe) yet and I’ve had a highlight. RC Concepcion, Matt Koslowski, Corey Barker and I were discussing shooting for HDR for their demo during their Precon session. RC had scouted locations and remarked that crowds might be a problem. So I offered an idea. Shoot 3 shots for each bracketed exposure (three each for low, medium and high). First merge the moving people out. Then use the remaining three merges for the HDR merge. This stuff gets you thinking – in new ways. I love it! I’ll be do this in my workshop in Palms Springs next week. Someone will let you know how it goes. When they do you’ll find a link here.
You can see what other presenters share each day by accessing these links.
Here’s a list of everyone who coblogged last year. Check back for more links each day.
Corey Barker
John Paul Caponigro
RC Concepcion
Dave Cross
Jim Divitale
Laurie Excell
Martin Evening
Richard Harrington
Scott Kelby
Matt Koslowski
Deke McClelland
Joe McNally
John Nack
Moose Peterson
Jeff Schewe
Colin Smith
Ben Willmore
David Ziser
Find out more about Photoshop World here.
Check out the Epson Print Academy here.
Check out my Workshops series here.

New Adobe Updates

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Adobe has recently released a number of updates to their core photographic imaging products – Lightroom, Photoshop, and Camera Raw.
Adobe Photoshop CS4 11.0.1 update – February 24, 2009
* A number of issues that could cause slow performance have been addressed.
* Pen barrel rotation with Wacom tablets now works correctly.
* Photoshop now correctly recognizes 3D textures edited by a plug-in.
* The quality of the results of Auto-Blend Layers (Stack Images) has been improved.
* A problem that could result in a crash when pasting formatted text has been fixed.
* A crash that could result from a corrupt font no longer occurs.
Camera Raw 5.3 update – March 3, 2009
This new version of the Camera Raw plug-in replaces the original one that was installed with Adobe® Photoshop® CS4; Adobe Photoshop Elements 7.0; and Adobe Premiere® Elements 7.0 software. Visit the Camera Raw page for a complete list of supported cameras.
Lightroom 2.3 update – March 3, 2009
* Additional camera support for the Nikon D3X and Olympus E-30
* Includes several corrections for issues introduced by previous Lightroom 2 releases
Get all the updates here.
Learn about them in my workshops.

Adobe Groups

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Adobe has entered into the world of online social networking with Adobe Groups.
“Adobe user groups provide a forum of support and technology to business and creative professionals of all levels and professions. Whether you’re a business user, designer, seasoned developer, or just starting out — Adobe user groups strengthen community, increase networking, unveil the latest technology innovations, and reveal the techniques that turn novices into experts, and experts into gurus.
The Adobe groups site provides a place on Adobe.com where community members can create a profile, join Adobe user groups and connect with other members of the Adobe community. The Adobe designer, developer and mobile communities are represented on Adobe groups as are Adobe employees and Adobe product teams. Go to Adobe groups today and start building connections within the Adobe community.”
Adobe Groups makes it easy for you to find, join, participate in user groups – worldwide. Virtually all languages are supported. You can even start your own group! Adobe Groups provides tools to help make user group management easier so you can focus on participating and creating content, not managing it. You’ll find user groups, personal profiles, event calendars, and even job boards. Anybody can join. All you need is an adobe membership idea, which is free and easy to set up.
Learn more in this online video edition of Adobe Edge.
Find our more about Adobe User Groups here.
Find or join a group here.
Are you a member? Comment about your experience here!

Adobe Configurator

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Adobe® Configurator is a utility application that helps create custom panels for Adobe Photoshop® CS4. Configurator makes it easy to drag and drop tools, menu items, scripts, actions, and other objects into a panel design, then export the results for use inside Photoshop. These panels leverage the support for Adobe Flash built into Photoshop, making it possible to drag and drop audio, video, images, and even other SWF files into a panel design.
Configurator is great for any Photoshop user who’d like to customize the application interface, without having to learn Flash/Flex/ActionScript. It’s particularly suited to authors, trainers, and other experts who’d like to create panels that make Photoshop easier to use, and who’d like to share those panels with others.
Configurator is free for anyone to use. Running the panels it generates requires installing Photoshop CS4.
Download Adobe Configurator here.
Find out more about Configurator on Principal Product Manager, Adobe Photoshop John Nack’s blog. Type in Configurator in the Search field there.
Download the Configurator guide here.

Jeff Schewe on CS4 at Digital Photo Pro

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Adobe alpha tester and all-around digital master Jeff Schewe takes us on a tour of the improvements to the new version of the Adobe Creative Suite, CS4
Here are two excerpts.
“Probably the single largest engineering effort has gone into completely changing the way Adjustment Layers work. No longer are the adjustments locked into modal dialog boxes; they now live in a live Adjustment Panel. Click on an Adjustment Layer and you have live access to the adjustments. This was major engineering to do although you may not yet see the benefits, but they’re there. Plus, a new Adjustment, Vibrance (inspired by Lightroom), has been added.”
“Another new panel is the Mask Panel, which allows for nondestructive adjustments to layer masks for functions such as feathering and mask density. These mask adjustments remain fully adjustable as long as you don’t do a destructive manipulation, such as running a filter on the mask. You have direct access to the Refine Edge tool that was new in CS3. It should be noted that Refine Edge isn’t nondestructive. For those who make a lot of selections using Color Range, a new functionality called Localized Color Clusters allows selections to be regionalized directly in the dialog.”
Read the rest here.
Check out more from Schewe at PhotoshopNews.com.
Check out the rest of my CS4 posts. Click on the category Photoshop.
Learn CS4 in my workshops.

PhotoPlus East – Expo

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PhotoPlus East starts next week.
It’s the premiere photographic tradeshow in the US.
The presentations at manufacturer booths are free.
The seminars are fee based.
Both are are excellent.
I’ll be presenting a number of sessions.
Thursday, Oct 23
9-12             Fine Art Workflow (with Mac Holbert)(TA10)
3:30-4:15     Lightroom 2 – Fine Art Output (Adobe Booth)
Friday, 10/24
9-12              Extending Dynamic Range (FA7)
2-3                Epson Poster Signing (Epson Booth)
Saturday, 10/25
9-12              The Fine Digital Print (SA9)
12:30-1:15     Lightroom 2 – Fine Art Output (Adobe Booth)

Julieanne Kost – New ACR5 and Photoshop CS4 Resources

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Check out Julieanne Kost’s web site for new ACR5 and Photoshop CS4 video and PDFs.

ADOBE TV The Complete Picture – Episode 08

Let Julieanne show you the power behind the new features in Camera Raw 5. Discover how to make non-destructive localized corrections as well as create special effects using the Adjustment Brush, Graduated Filter, Post Cropping Vignettes and more!

ADOBE TV The Complete Picture – Episode 07

Discover the new features in Adobe Bridge CS4 as Julieanne walks through the new features, tools, refined interface and integration with Photoshop.

PSCS4 What’s new in Bridge CS4 (PDF)

Learn everything there is to get you up to speed quickly in Bridge CS4.

PSCS4 What’s New in Camera Raw 5 (PDF)

Discover the unlimited possibilities with Camera Raw 5.

PSCS4 Photoshop CS4 – But Wait, There’s More! (PDF)

Master the important but often overlooked refinements and adjustments in Photoshop CS4.
Julianne’s been one of Adobe’s top evangelists for years and one of the industry’s best resources. Find out more about her, see her work, find (all previously published resources), her book, and her dvds here.
Read my conversation with Julianne here.