Photoshop World Las Vegas is finally here! I will be blogging and tweetingthroughout the week from the conference and the various events. If you cannot make the conference and would like to watch the Keynote that kicks off Photoshop World, check it out here at 9 am PST on Wednesday September 3.
Stay tuned for updates!
Of course it was another amazing and educational day. With so many sessions to choose from, there were some pretty hard decisions that I had to make. I started off the day with the man, the myth, the legend- Matt Kloskowski. His "Lightroom and Photoshop for Landscape Photographers" was pretty awesome, and showed some great tools to get the most out of landscape photos. It was also really cool to see that Matt had his dad in the audience of his class. This was really touching, especially since my dad and I always attend Photoshop World together.
I always try to make it a point to get attend a Scott Kelby portrait retouching class. There is something so different (and dare I say magical) about learning from Scott in person. His sessions are always entertaining, and I always learn a ton from him.
The Wrap Up Rally and giveaway session is the final event of every Photoshop World, and is standing room only. Every year, a variety of photographers bring the ideas and emotions of Photoshop World home. This year, Bryan Hughes of Adobe spoke about the many ways that Adobe is listening to its customers -- through forums, social media and events in person. Erik Valind spoke about the way that he got into photography, the struggles he faced and the lessons he learned from those struggles. Moose Peterson always has a beautiful presentation of his stunning images, and is something I always look forward to at the closing ceremony.
The closing ends with some pretty cool prize giveaways, which are of course are an awesome bonus...but you have to stay until the end to see if you have won! I always stay to the end and try to catch the instructors and staff to thank them for an amazing Photoshop World.
I cannot believe that this Photoshop World is now officially over, and I am so happy that I was able to participate this year.
Thank you to Kelby Media group and NAPP for putting on yet another amazing Photoshop World, and for allowing me the opportunity to blog about my experiences. I look forward to next year!
The second day of Photoshop World is always jam-packed with awesomeness! From sessions in the morning until Midnight Madness late at night, there is constantly an opportunity to learn and have a blast. Of course there are so many amazing classes to choose from, sometimes it's impossible to attend all of them. Luckily Photoshop World provides these huge notebooks with the instructors' notes and presentations that come along with your registration. Even though you might not be able to make all of the sessions, it's helpful to have the notes to refer to.
My morning started off with something a little different. Animator Aaron Blaise was recently added to the PSW roster of instructors, and I attended his "Digital Illustration Workflow" class to try something completely different. Now I cannot draw much beyond clouds (puffy ones), but Aaron's art (both the traditional and the digital mediums) absolutely inspired me. It was also interesting to see how Aaron used light and color to create amazing work.
Moose Peterson's class "Breaking In and Making it in the Editorial Market" finished up my morning. Through various classes and workshops I have taken in the past with Moose, I have always known him as an awesome photographer, but this class really drives home what a smart businessman he is.
Perhaps the highlight of Day 2 is the Art of Digital Photography panel. This year, the panel consisted of Jim DiVitale, Julieanne Kost, Dave Black, Joe Glyda, Vincent Versace, Jay Maisel, Joe McNally and Moose Peterson. The variety of photographers and the stories they tell with their photographs always amazes me. Vincent Versace called the audience to action to help build a school in Myanmar, and then proceeded to show his amazingly beautiful images from that country.
And then Day 2 wraps up with Midnight Madness. It is, well, sheer madness. And really, you don't learn a thing about Photoshop. But you do have a ton of fun (it's guaranteed, in fact).
Tomorrow is unfortunately the last day of Photoshop World. I can't believe that it has gone by this fast. It has been great to reconnect with old friends, make new ones and learn from some amazing photographers.
And that is how Photoshop World Las Vegas starts! The keynote kicked off with a hilarious video introducing the Photoshop Guys --I really think this was the bes t and funniest of the videos for a keynote so far. The behind the scenes of shooting that introduction was just priceless. From there the keynote just got more exciting keynote with some pretty amazing announcements from both Wacom and Adobe. Wacom announced a new Intuos tablet that really pushes the envelope for creatives. Adobe previewed new advancements for Photoshop and Lightroom, as well as unbelievable Creative Cloud pricing for both--just $9.99 US per month! This is pretty amazing stuff and is really transforming the way Adobe users utilize these tools.
Once these awesome announcements were made, the Guru and Vincent Versace awards were announced and we were off to our first sessions.
I thoroughly enjoyed learning about copyright from none other than Ed Greenberg and Jack Reznicki. These two make up an awesome team that stresses the importance of copyright for anything you create, and break it down. This is such an important topic for photographers, and is something that any creative should look into and understand.
I also attended a panel called "Are You Ready to Go Pro", moderated by the now Adobe Hall of Famer Matt Kloskowski and comprised of Cliff Mautner, Joel Grimes and Erik Valind. Each of the panelists had a unique perspective of starting out in the photography business, but all agreed that it takes hard work to build a body of work and a brand.
The opening of the Expo hall is always exciting. The amount of vendors is enough to make your credit card scared, but many vendors have specific talks and demonstrations that are always entertaining and educational.
This afternoon was also my portfolio review session, and my review was with none other than Vincent Versace--I will dedicate a whole post to this and the importance of the portfolio reviews later in the week. This is a wonderful opportunity that is available to attendees-- it is an amazing learning experience! If you weren't able to do one this year, make sure it's on your to do list in the future.
For the evening classes, I chose to attend Scott Bourne's session about attracting an audience to your photography through Twitter. He had a lot of helpful information, and really gave the class a lot to think about.
The highlight of the first day is always the PSW After-Hours party. Scott Kelby's band performs live at the House of Blues, and they really rock! This is also another opportunity to mingle with other PSW attendees, as well as the instructors and NAPP staff who work so hard to put on an amazing conference.
I am ready for Day 2, and look forward to more amazing sessions, the Art of Digital Photography panel and Midnight Madness!
The day before the start of Photoshop World is the day for pre-conference in-depth workshops and for the Photoshop World Meet-Up. This meet-up takes place the night before the start of PSW and after pre-conference workshops, and gives attendees the opportunity to meet other PSW attendees and to mingle with the instructors.
Held at the Eye Candy lounge at Mandalay Bay this year, attendees were able to compare notes with other attendees and chat with the week's instructors.
Personally, I was able to meet people that I had seen at Photoshop Worlds past but never got the chance to talk to, and to introduce myself to instructors whose classes I'd be taking for the first time.
Onto the official start of Photoshop World - the Keynote and Day 1!
You will see me posting a lot about Photoshop World from now until September. I am so excited to announce that I will be blogging for Photoshop World, as well as on my own personal blog. Aside from the fact that I'll be blogging, Photoshop World (PSW) is an important event to me. Not only is it an amazing few days of inspiration and education, but it is something my dad and I have attended pretty much every year since the first year we went.
Back when I first got into photography and got my camera, my dad introduced me to the world of the National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP), and I believe he gave me the gift of membership for that first year. As he was introducing me to the likes of Scott Kelby, Matt Kloskowski, and Rafael "RC" Concepcion through blog posts and NAPP videos, he kept talking about this conference in Las Vegas called Photoshop World that he had always wanted to attend. Every time he would describe it, his eyes would light up.
The following year, dad and I decided to bite the bullet and go to PSW Vegas. We were both like little kids in a candy store from the opening ceremony to the closing ceremony. Not only was that first year awesome fun, but it truly opened my eyes to this community of photographers, and that other people also see the world differently through a lens. Needless to say, my dad and I loved every minute of it and kept talking about "next year".
I have gone several times by now with my dad, because it is the most inspiring few days of the year for both of us. To learn from great photographers and digital artists is just awesome. The fact that my dad and I get to attend together is just so cool. Photoshop World is not just an event or conference; it is an experience.
Whenever I meet other attendees or instructors at PSW, they always ask, "You brought your dad (or parents, depending on the year) to Vegas?!" My answer is always, "Absolutely!". My dad introduced me to NAPP, and it is only right that I attend the biggest NAPP gathering on the West Coast with him.
You can also attend Photoshop World to experience it for yourself. Don't worry, if you go alone, you will make a lot of new friends along the way. However the deadline to save $100 is fast approaching -- Plus this year, everyone who registers gets to try Adobe Creative Cloud for one year free! The deadline for earlybird registration is August 2, 2013. To register 800.738.8513 or visit PHOTOSHOPWORLD.COM
In case you haven't heard, everyone that registers for Photoshop World gets one year of Adobe Creative Cloud for free. That's right, this amazing event just got even more amazing! Find out more and register here: http://photoshopworld.com/
See you there!
We are just under 50 days away from an event that I look forward to every year...Photoshop World!
Here is all of the information you need from NAPP about Photoshop World, and how to sign up:
THE ULTIMATE PHOTOSHOP, PHOTOGRAPHY, & LIGHTING TRAINING
Photoshop World Conference & Expo
Las Vegas
September 4-6, 2013
REGISTER BY AUGUST 2, 2013 & SAVE $100!
TO REGISTER CALL 800.738.8513 OR VISIT PHOTOSHOPWORLD.COM
Back to the old grind, as they say, and I have had a few weeks to reflect on this year’s Photoshop World. I didn’t get to blog as much as I wanted to on the PSW blog during PSW because of unresolved technical difficulties. However, I didn’t let that fact ruin my PSW experience, and the staff worked hard to put on a great show. I loved every moment of PSW and didn’t want to miss a thing. That’s hard when there are 5 amazing classes going on during one time slot. Thank goodness for the hundreds of pages in the PSW Workbook, even though it’s not the same as sitting down with a legendary instructor to teach you those things.
Between the classes and the Expo floor, there was always something to see, learn and buy. My favorite event at both the last PSW I attended two years ago and this one was The Art of Digital Photography panel, comprised of nine PSW instructors: Jim Divitale, Joe Glyda, Joe McNally, Jeremy Cowart, Jay Maisel, Gregory Hesiler, Julieanne Kost, Dave Black and Moose Peterson. Each photographer exhibited a different perspective that they brought to the table and left the attendees in awe. I am humbled that I had the opportunity to even be in the same room with these talents, and even more so by the fact they were presenting their own work before me and a few hundred of my PSW friends. But nothing was more memorable than when Joe received a standing ovation for his project “Faces of Ground Zero”, a portrait series of the heroes and survivors of September 11th in 2001, and in 2011.
Something I noticed in each class and walking the Expo floor was the range of attendees' ages. I saw young kids (a 14 year old boy was one of McNally’s subjects) and retirees. I loved seeing that variety. How great is that to be a young kid in the 10-14 age range and to be going to Photoshop World? I applaud the adults in these kids’ lives for nurturing their passion at such a young age, as well as retirees for continuing to feed their passion. One of those retirees whom I attend every PSW with is my dad, making it a wonderful experience for us to share.
Which leads me to the PSW closing ceremony. This year was definitely an emotional closing ceremony. The afternoon began with a movie clip from Joe McNally’s “Faces of Ground Zero” project in his absence. Then Moose Peterson took us on his photographic journey, which chokes me up every time. One of the newer instructors Dave Black told the tear-jerking story of how one college professor saw his talent and encouraged him to pursue photography even though it wasn’t his major. New Photoshop Guy Pete Collins wrapped up the presentations with the equally emotional story of how he started out as a missionary in Thailand and ended up on that stage in Vegas.
I want to thank all of NAPP for putting together yet another amazing PSW. Thank you to all of the instructors who shared their knowledge for three days out of their undoubtedly busy lives.
And thank you for stopping by.
Two years ago, I attended my first Photoshop World (PSW) in Las Vegas, NV. The amount of information and fun while learning about Photoshop, photography and everything else in between was just amazing. It was an absolutely inspiring event that left me wanting more...check out my PSW wrap up from 2009. I decided that it was high time to get back to another one, and this time I am an attendee as well as one of the six bloggers for the event.
Check out this blog post about my other blogging buddies, and don't forget to check the PSW blog for many updates along the way!
http://photoshopworld.com/2011/08/29/introducing-your-psw-las-vegas-onsite-bloggers/
I look forward to sharing my experience here on my blog as well as the PSW blog!
Thanks for stopping by!