Photoshop Training with Scott Kelby

I know I probably should be getting ready right now to head out for the night, but i just have to write some thoughts down before I forget.

Do you know why today was awesome sauce?!  Today I met Scott Kelby. *deep sigh*

I know you’re probably asking yourself, “who in the world is scott kelby?”   To me, he’s like a Beatle, (”He’s our RINGO!!!” </inside joke> .)  Back in 2003 when I was taking journalism classes I was introduced to photoshop.  This was back in the day when I still used PageMaker and had no clue what the heck InDesign was.  I was tinkering away at the student computer lab and next to me this guy was editing a photo in photoshop.  I was just in awe of what he was doing, but he was obviously not interested in me looking over his shoulder and so he got up and left.  Some people are just NOT friendly.

On my way home I stopped at Barnes and Noble and asked the information desk were all the Photoshop books were located.  That’s where it all began.  I bought Down and Dirty Tricks by Scott Kelby and I was hooked.  My second booked was one by Jack Davis, and he got  me hooked too.  I got my hands on photoshop 7 and from there on out, i photoshopped everything. Yep, that’s how it all started…

Earlier this month I get an email from my friend Jill telling me that there’s a Photoshop training right here in town with Scott Kelby himself!  I had already been informed thorough 3 different mailings but I didn’t want to get my hopes up too high because I had surgery the week before, didn’t know if i could, yadda yadda.  I signed up just in case and if I couldn’t attend I would just get a refund.

It took me 7 years to meet Kelby, I’m telling you, it’s my lucky number!

Today was not like other seminars I’ve attended.  It wasn’t hands on and the room was filled with what I believe was said to be over 600 people (don’t quote me on that).  Kelby is a pretty funny guy, really knows his stuff and he’s very passionate about certain things.

There was a lot of stuff I learned that I didn’t know before hand and I’m really excited to start editing some photos using these new tricks which are mostly all in camera raw.  I <3 camera raw.

I’ve kind of stayed away from HDR, but I’m thinking of giving it a try just to see if I like it.  It’s not my style of photography and it’s not something I’m drawn to too often, but it would be nice to learn the technique.

You know what’s weird, well to me it was weird…there were a LOT of guys there.  I never really realized that in photoshopping there’s a lot of men.  Which should have hit me sooner. I mean, I got into photoshopping because of that one guy that was NOT FRIENDLY, the retouching lab i use for big orders has a guy who works on my stuff, most of the guru’s i know are guys, the people who I’ve trained in photoshop have all been guys…do you know when it hit me there were a lot of guys at the seminar?  When I went to the restroom and there was a line for the guys restroom and not for the girls. LOL

If you get a chance to go to one of the Kelby Training Seminars, do try and go.  You’ll hear him say, “See the thing is…” (which i say all the time), “That’s just all kinds of fantastic!”,  “Shark tooth!”, and my favorite “Ka-chow!”

I know photoshop world is around the corner, they have 2 every year, if you’d prefer to go to that. You’ll probably meet all the Photoshop Guys from Photoshop User TV (check out their podcasts).

Also, if you haven’t upgraded to cs4, remember that this year is Photoshop’s 20th anniversary, so you might want to wait for cs5. =)

Now I can’t get the Photoshop song out of my head!  Photoshop me out of your liiiifeee…ahaha. I’m a dork!

So to sum things up…Today ROCKED MY SOCKS!

Hope it’s warmer in your neck of the woods than in minessssssss…