Adobe Configurator


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


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


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


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.

Photoshop.com – A Glimpse of the Future Now?


Adobe has announced Photoshop.com. What is it? Mix Photoshop Elements with social networking, online sharing (Myspace/Facebook), and online archiving with services and free tutorials to support it. Imagine Flickr with free online image editing. Then add mobile computing (on cell phones and PDAs) – Photoshop.com Mobile. It’s not a professional solution (fully featured, capable of handling high resolution – Lightroom or Photoshop) – yet.
Does this herald the future of all Photoshop products? Will we be renting rather than purchasing our software in the future? Perhaps our upgrades will be automatic and managed for us. This is speculative futurecasting. For now, find out what’s happening online with PhotoshopExpress. It’s too interesting not to check it out.
Check it out here.
Read More

PhotoshopCafe – CS4 Learning Center


PhotoshopCafe has launched it’s CS4 online Learning Center. Read an illustrated overview of new CS4 features. Watch four new free videos online – Retouch and Panels, Content-Aware Scale, New Interface, GPU Viewing Options and an interview with John Nack (Photoshop Principle Product Manager). It’s excellent content. It’s free!
Visit PhotoshopCafe’s CS4 Learning Center here.
Seen it? Like it? Comment here!
Check out my DVDs here.
Check out my upcoming seminars here.
Learn Photoshop CS4 in my workshops.

PhotoshopCafe – Lightroom 2 Learning Center




PhotoshopCafe offers a Lightroom 2 online Learning Center. Read an illustrated overview of new Lightroom 2 features. Watch four new free videos online – Dual Monitors, Photoshop Integration, Smart Collections, Local Adjustment and interviews with Tom Hogarty (Lightroom Senior Product Manager) and Frederick Johnson (Lightroom Senior Marketing Manager). It’s excellent content. It’s free!
Visit PhotoshopCafe’s Lightroom 2 Learning Center here.
Seen it? Like it? Comment here!
Check out my DVDs here.
Check out my upcoming seminars here.
Learn Photoshop CS4 in my workshops.

NAPP – Adobe Photoshop CS4 Learning Center


The Photoshop Guys at NAPP have put together some great short video tutorials that will help you get up to speed on CS4. Here’s the list.
Scott Kelby
Camera Raw Adjustment Brush
Graduated Filter Tool
Post-Crop Vignette
Corey Barker
3D Improvements
Mask Panel
Dave Cross
Bridge Updates
Content Aware Scaling
Matt Koslowski
Adjustment Panel
Dodge & Burn
On Image Controls
Live Brush Preview
Vibrance Adjustment
RC Concepcion
Dodge, Burn & Sponge
Blend Focus
Flash Panels
Zoom, Toss & Rotate
MultiTouch Gestures
See all the videos here.
Seen it? Like it? Comment here!
Learn Lightroom 2 and CS4 in my workshops.
Check out my DVDs here.

NAPP – Photoshop User Special Bonus Issue


If you’re a National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP) member along with your next issue of Photoshop User magazine, you’ll be also receiving a special free bonus “All CS4? issue of the magazine. Each time Adobe comes out with a new version, NAPP / Photoshop User produces a special bonus issue for members. There are lots of other benefits to being a member. Check out NAPP here.
Seen it? Like it? Comment here!