Photoshop CS4

It's a between-episode-week for dekePod today, so I thought I'd provide you guys with something different to stimulate your video appetites: an episode of O'Reilly's screencasts on "Photoshop CS4 for Photographers." By different, I mean two things, 1) this particular screencast covers a variety of photography-centric topics and 2) you'll find the author/narrator  has a slightly different presentation style than our fearless leader. Think "comforting dram of aged whiskey" next to Deke's "energizing double-espresso." If you like what you see, you can subscribe to the series here. (By the way, interviews with Deke have been known to pop up there as well.) Read more » 

(Click on the image, then click on the same image again to watch this weeks episode directly from O'Reilly.)

So, I'm standing here in the O'Reilly booth at PhotoPlus Expo, admiring Deke's new book, trying to take a self portrait to post here to prove it's real. Then this strange (but friendly looking) man approached asking if he could take my picture for his son. His last name was Stalker. I'm totally not kidding. Two of my colleagues were all, "No, don't do it." But I had a feeling. A feeling that a member of the dekeCommunity was involved somehow. Mr. Stalker, perhaps better if I call him Doug in this situation, called his son, who turned out to be dekeCommunitarian "jeff70." We inhabitants of dekeDom have radar for these things. We spoke. It seemed legit. And here is the picture jeff70's dad took of me holding proof that Deke's book does in fact exist. And in stock today at Amazon.com.

What I particularly like about Doug's portrait is that he manages to align the crown in the logo of the next booth over to sit upon my head, as is appropriate. Thanks, Doug. I'm Queen of dekeDom today! Read more » 

So, okay, good news: I went ahead and rerecorded my highly pornographic version of "The new tabbed window interface" video. Which illustrated our ability to cycle between multiple open images by clicking on tabs and pressing keyboard shortcuts in Photoshop CS4. But in a very lewd fashion. Or so I'm led to understand.

Bad news. I had previously employed some provocative images of lightly clad beautiful women. Fortunately I came to my senses and switched 'em out. For chihuahuas.

Read more » 

I and my crackerjack team are putting the final touches on what has traditionally been one of the bestselling titles on Photoshop, Adobe Photoshop CS4 One-on-One. Those of you familiar with previous editions of the book know that I start things off, in the very first lesson, by comparing Photoshop to the Nine Circles of Hell. The idea is, Photoshop is an extraordinarily complicated and sprawling program. With few exceptions, new users are intimidated as Hell by it. But just as Dante survived his encounter with The Devil, we will tour the depths of Photoshop, stare it right in the eye, and emerge from the experience unscathed. (Maybe we'll even see Brutus!)

For years, I've been trying to come up with a satisfactory figure to illustrate the discussion, and now I finally have. Behold the newly renovated Ninth Circle:

(The actual illustration comes from a fellow named Achim Prill. My contribution was some recoloring and, of course, the text.)

Can't you just hear The Beast bellowing at you to join Him in His Dark Imaging Lair? As you struggle to form your wordless response, download the high quality PDF and read the introduction for yourself. Read more »