MIA – But With a Good Reason

Wow, it seems like forever since my last blog post. I have really wanted to get on and do some updates but my schedule has been seriously packed with a deadline item that took precedent over everything else. So what is it that has kept me so busy? Well, you might have read in a past post about a new book I have been working on. Well, my due date was upon me and I still had a long way to go but I am happy to announce that I am finally DONE.  And without further delay, the book I have been writing is -

Adobe Photoshop Elements – From Snapshots to Great Shots

What’s that? You aren’t really excited about a book on Elements? Well, have you used Elements? I know, it’s no Photoshop, but it has a ton of the same tools as Photoshop and it doesn’t require taking out a loan in order to buy a copy.

Here’s what I had to say when I pitched this book. Up until now, all of the Snap Shots to Great Shots books have been about camera work. They are either about using a particular camera, or some camera technique for taking a better picture. The problem though is that working with the camera is only half the solution. No one likes to admit it but post-processing is a vital part of creating great photos. Sure, you can shoot in JPEG and then take your memory card to Costco and maybe get some decent looking prints back but you will never really have total control over the process until you jump into the deep end and start working with your images. That’s why I decided to pull back the curtain and show just how easy it can be to make major improvements on a photo using a very accessible program like Adobe Photoshop Elements.

You want features? How about Adobe Camera Raw, Levels, Layers, Curves (sort of), blend modes, masking, a quick selection tool, spot healing brush, and a whole lot more. And the thing is, it has has many of these tools for several years now. That’s why I wanted to write this book, to give everyone a chance to learn some pretty powerful editing tools in a simple, easy to follow manner.The book is very similar to my camera books. I don’t cover every feature of the program, just the major things you need to hit the ground running and start having some fun with your photos.

I would love to show you a cover shot but I was a bit tardy in sending in my cover shots so it is not quite ready for the unveiling. You can bet though that I will be showing it off when it is. I will also let you know when it becomes available for pre-sale as well.

So now that I have cleared this hurdle, I can get back to planning for some upcoming events (and of course blogging). Next Wednesday, I will have all the information about next weekend’s Worldwide Photowalk in Washington DC, and hopefully a better idea of what the weather will be. Then, that following Friday, I am heading South of the border, actually several borders, to shoot the countryside, people, and sites of Peru. It will be an amazing time and I hope to share much of it with you while I am there.

But now I am going to take a well deserved rest and start dreaming up my next project. Have a great Monday.

Related posts:

1. How Nikon Complicated My Life…In a Good Way
2. Aperture 3 – Oh Snap, it’s Good!
3. Good News on the Doorstep
4. It’s Good to Go Local
5. Is Good Ever Good Enough?