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Common Photoshop Problems/Education #36483
09/16/11 06:08 PM
09/16/11 06:08 PM
Joined: Feb 2005
Manhattan, New York, New York
James Morrissey Offline OP
I
James Morrissey  Offline OP
I
Carpal Tunnel

Joined: Feb 2005
Manhattan, New York, New York
Hey Folks,

If there was something you wanted to learn in Photoshop today - what would it be? I am debating seeing if we can get the muster together to put together a semi-regular feature where we can have decent, concise tutorials on how to fix problems we all deal with in PS. Or, has this been done to death? i.e. where do you go for photoshop tutorials?

For example, there was a conversation on FB about how to make collages. This is something I STINK at - but others may have some good ideas on how do this.

Thoughts?

Thanks
James

Re: Common Photoshop Problems [Re: James Morrissey] #36487
09/16/11 06:34 PM
09/16/11 06:34 PM
Joined: Mar 2005
Florida
Jim Garvie Offline
Addict
Jim Garvie  Offline
Addict

Joined: Mar 2005
Florida
James,
I'm going to be a bit of a curmudgeon here (I know; what's new). I think sharing tips is fine. But for the professional photographers on this forum, our PS skills are a market differentiator. While we do not overtly compete with other professionals on this forum, we virtually compete for every available pet photography prospect within our market region. And mine is the entire North American Continent. And, to be practical, how do you share 20 years of experience in PhotoShop on an internet forum? It also assumes that most of the people on this forum use PhotoShop. I am getting the feeling that most of the new members of the forum do not currently work in PS. Which is fine because you can do a lot with any of the current image editing programs. But tips specific to PhotoShop won't help those folks and they are the ones who probably need/want the help the most.

Just MHO. In other words, we had to figure it out for ourselves and the new kids can damn well do the same grin.

Jim


Jim Garvie
www.jagphoto.biz
Re: Common Photoshop Problems [Re: Jim Garvie] #36489
09/16/11 09:00 PM
09/16/11 09:00 PM
Joined: Sep 2005
Portland Oregon
RomanJohnston Offline
Pooh-Bah
RomanJohnston  Offline
Pooh-Bah

Joined: Sep 2005
Portland Oregon
Originally Posted By: jimgarvie
James,
I'm going to be a bit of a curmudgeon here (I know; what's new). I think sharing tips is fine. But for the professional photographers on this forum, our PS skills are a market differentiator. While we do not overtly compete with other professionals on this forum, we virtually compete for every available pet photography prospect within our market region. And mine is the entire North American Continent. And, to be practical, how do you share 20 years of experience in PhotoShop on an internet forum? It also assumes that most of the people on this forum use PhotoShop. I am getting the feeling that most of the new members of the forum do not currently work in PS. Which is fine because you can do a lot with any of the current image editing programs. But tips specific to PhotoShop won't help those folks and they are the ones who probably need/want the help the most.

Just MHO. In other words, we had to figure it out for ourselves and the new kids can damn well do the same grin.

Jim


Curmudgeon #2 here. Photoshop capabilities are not somthing I would share. I am getting into my groove getting a signature look. I for one would not share my PS knodledge for free.

Roman

Re: Common Photoshop Problems [Re: RomanJohnston] #36507
09/18/11 05:08 PM
09/18/11 05:08 PM
Joined: Feb 2005
Manhattan, New York, New York
James Morrissey Offline OP
I
James Morrissey  Offline OP
I
Carpal Tunnel

Joined: Feb 2005
Manhattan, New York, New York
Thanks, Guys. I will defer to your greater judgment on this one...I don't agree with it necessarily, but I don't want to start a feature that alienates folks.

James

Re: Common Photoshop Problems [Re: James Morrissey] #36554
09/20/11 06:18 PM
09/20/11 06:18 PM
Joined: Mar 2005
Florida
Jim Garvie Offline
Addict
Jim Garvie  Offline
Addict

Joined: Mar 2005
Florida
James,
it's your forum and you can do what you feel is right for the majority of the members. But my point is that I would probably not participate in that exchange and I believe that was Roman's point as well. There are plenty of other members that I'm sure have valuable information to share. So if you feel that the majority of the membership wants this feature, go for it. Just don't be offended if I do not participate smile.

Jim


Jim Garvie
www.jagphoto.biz
Re: Common Photoshop Problems [Re: Jim Garvie] #36556
09/20/11 06:22 PM
09/20/11 06:22 PM
Joined: Feb 2005
Manhattan, New York, New York
James Morrissey Offline OP
I
James Morrissey  Offline OP
I
Carpal Tunnel

Joined: Feb 2005
Manhattan, New York, New York
Hey Jim,

Thank you. I appreciate it. At the same time, I really do consider this "our forum." The forum is nothing without important players like you, Roman and others. So when I hear folks say that they are leery of something, I usually defer to staying clear of it.

James

Re: Common Photoshop Problems [Re: James Morrissey] #36560
09/20/11 09:40 PM
09/20/11 09:40 PM
Joined: Sep 2005
Portland Oregon
RomanJohnston Offline
Pooh-Bah
RomanJohnston  Offline
Pooh-Bah

Joined: Sep 2005
Portland Oregon
I'm with Jim, I wouldnt be offended or in any way upset if you did that, I just know that my that my particular knowledge is like my special sauce. Just don't want to give out the recipe.

Roman

Re: Common Photoshop Problems/Education [Re: James Morrissey] #36564
09/22/11 12:32 AM
09/22/11 12:32 AM
Joined: Jun 2011
San Antonio, TX
FretlessD Offline
Journeyman
FretlessD  Offline
Journeyman

Joined: Jun 2011
San Antonio, TX
James,

I have been thinking about this thread since I read it early this morning. As to your initial question... I think putting together "decent, concise tutorials" seems like a lot of work. I don't know if they have been done to death or not, but the information is out there.

As a new member, I am appreciative of the insight given by the NWP community. The information I have gleaned has been insightful. I can see why Jim and Roman may feel the way they do. Trade secrets and such. But, here's my take.

In my day job, I am a dog groomer with about 16 years under my belt. Through a lot of long hours and persistence I have had the good fortune to build a client base with over 300 standing appointments and have not accepted "non-referral" clients for over 3 years. I get to pick and choose who I take in. It took hard work, perfectionism, and an artistic eye to attain my level of ability.

I can see by the work shared on this forum, many of you have attained a similar level of artistic professionalism.

When I meet a novice groomer, even an experienced one for that fact, and they ask me for my opinion or tips on grooming and business, I am always willing to share some insight. Am I afraid I will give away some mystical secret? Not hardly.

Most people aren't will to pay attention to the details or put in the work.

I remember the techniques that I learned from others over the years. Yes I would try to emulate them, but then I would "make them my own". If one is truly an artist, that is what you do. You create.

Either way, at my novice level of photographic technique, I have little to offer in PS or much else at this time. But again, I am appreciative of you, Roman, Jim, Peggy Sue, Don, and the rest.

Thanks for sharing, Doug

P.S. It's like Jazz... If you want to get good, you play with players better than yourself.


FOR THE LOVE OF DOG!!!
Re: Common Photoshop Problems/Education [Re: FretlessD] #36604
09/26/11 01:06 AM
09/26/11 01:06 AM
Joined: Feb 2009
Portland, Oregon
Tyler Offline
Venturer
Tyler  Offline
Venturer

Joined: Feb 2009
Portland, Oregon
I've been wanting to join in on this for a bit, but I'm torn in the middle. I also think this goes beyond just PS techniques.

I used to run sound and video for some decently known bands on tour. Working with a lot of artists, and sorta being one myself (I like to think of the sound board as an instrument, and video directing is like painting), I agree with the pro members on this board wanting to guard certain skills that can mean the difference of their work being sold or not. Especially as the cameras keep getting better, and in some cases the learning curve diminishes.

On the other side, here is my experience on these forums. When I first bought my digital camera, and found this forum shortly after, I was looking for a friendly environment where I could learn from others, and share. And while I was in the beginning stages, that is what happened. I'd post some of the better pics I could take at the time (my Yellowstone pics are some of the first out of this camera and my quest to be better), get responses back, get small tips, and all was well.

It seems like there is a point though, that once you cross out of the "newbie" territory, and into the better side of amateur, all of that stopped. I could flood the critique forum and force the comments, but that is kind of a dick move, unless the section as a whole gets used more. I am at the point right now where I know what I need to do in the field, I mostly know what needs done in PS (just not how to do it), and I know I need to give everything a lot more time than I have. Its frustrating though, cause the comments have transitioned from helpful, to "Nice shots, I like #76" Shoot. When I posted the few pics of going to my grandpa's ranch for the first time after he died, and tried taking my first pano shot, that thread didn't even get one comment. But if someone new to the forums posts the same type of shot, they seem to not be viewed as a potential business threat? Aren't the people that go into stock the people at this middle point? Either they can't compete photo wise, or business wise, or both? I thought stock was a bigger threat than the people who know what they're doing, because by that time people have they're trademark look.

I don't want Roman or Jim's trademark look. I love Roman's shots, they make Oregon proud, but there is one small element to them which I don't agree to that drastically changes my own approach. I am never going to do pet photography other than my own animals, but I have used some of the knowledge gleaned from the pet forums (especially action shots) for the hockey side of photography that I do, which I've only shared once with people here since its not really N/W/P.

I take photos because I just want to capture some way of keeping the visual memories I have of being in a wonderful and natural place, especially of Oregon before I move overseas in a couple years. I love it so much here, and this is one of the only things that will get me through living somewhere else, to have these shots of home. And I want those shots to really show off what I love about Oregon. That's what made not getting any comments on the ranch thread really disheartening cause my mom hasn't been able to go there, it brings up too much bad stuff (he went missing off the Oregon coast a few years ago), but I know she'd love pictures of the place and I really wanted to go back armed with some knowledge to get shots that will make her proud, reminder her of her child home and the place her dad loved the most in this state. That is my entire motivation as a photographer. Even if I do reach the point in my skills as a photographer, I still have no skills as a businessmen to sell them, or the motivation.

As with FretlessD and grooming, when it came to sound, I did a number of conferences here in town teaching advanced EQ and Mic placement techniques, Music Theory from a sound-man's point of view, system building for churches, and more. Never once did I say "my secret to getting the perfect kick drum sound is boost 83Hz by about 4db depending on how hard the drummer is playing, and always, always take out 315-360Hz otherwise you the low rumble bleeds over into the mix where the bass guitar is, and it's not a bad idea to give a bit extra in the 3k Hz range for some extra attack when the head hits the drum.... but I did teach em everything they needed to know to discover it on their own, or to develop their own sound.

<sigh> I'll leave it there for now...it took me an hour to write this and I'm already late to where I have to be. I have a tiny bit more to add, I think opening things up for everyone else to comment for a bit is a better idea.

Re: Common Photoshop Problems/Education [Re: James Morrissey] #36659
09/29/11 07:26 PM
09/29/11 07:26 PM
Joined: Jul 2007
Tucson, Arizona, USA
Tucson Jim Offline
Old hand
Tucson Jim  Offline
Old hand

Joined: Jul 2007
Tucson, Arizona, USA
I cannot speak for anyone but myself, but I think both Jim and Roman characterized themselves as much more curmudgeonly than they really are. I know from experience, as well as observation, that both of them, as well as many others here at NWP, have been very generous with their time and expertise to help anyone who asks, regardless of status.

I could be wrong, but I took their comments to be more of an an objection to a more detailed, structured and comprehensive "tutorial" approach, which would require a lot of work and result in a significant transfer of hard earned expertise. That is much different than offering a few tips or suggestions to someone who is struggling with a particular problem. Moreover, much of what would be included in a Photoshop tutorial is already available in a variety of free and/or for a fee form elsewhere on the web.

I anticipate that the friendly,helpful and collegial atmosphere that causes many of us to prefer NWP to other unnamed fora will continue even if it is on a more case-by-case or problem specific basis.

Jim

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