You Wanted More of Jim DiVitale – Here He Is!
You Wanted More Photoshop – Here It Is!
The Photoshop KISS Seminar
(Keep It Simple, Stupid)
The Seminar For Those of Us Who Don’t Want to
Struggle With Photoshop Anymore
September 20 and 21, 2008 –– 9AM to 5PM Each Day
Tuition: $350.00 for Both Days
Enrollment Limited to 15 Students
Don’t Need to Read More? Just Want to Register? Go Here.
For everyone else, here’s the complete course description:
We’ve all heard the phrase “Keep It Simple, Stupid”. The idea is that there are ways to find simple paths through life – paths that take the stress and strain out of daily living.
It’s time we applied the same principle to our use of Photoshop.
And, there is no one more qualified to teach us how to find the simple path than our own Hands On Seminar instructor, Jim DiVitale. Someone once defined a genius as a person who could take the complex and make it simple and manageable. Jim is a Photoshop genius.
Photoshop is not inherently more difficult than other programs we “master” and use.
Yet, most of us never feel that we have “mastered” Photoshop. Perhaps, that is because there are so many ways of doing the same thing, we never feel secure – we never feel that we are using the right tool at the right time.
In this seminar, at our own computers, we will work with Jim to find the simplest most efficient way to solve the problems we most often face. Jim will show us the alternatives and help us choose the best and easiest way to get things done.
Photoshop is a magical program. And, therein lies the problem for many of us.
With the magical, comes a dose of mystical.
To feel comfortable in Photoshop, we need to “de-mystify” the tools so that we can see them as no more complex than the hammers in our toolboxes and the whisks in our kitchens. Tools are tools, and once we learn to use them, they will become simple.
As we will discuss later, this is not a beginner class; and it is not an expert class. It’s a class for those of us who know enough about Photoshop to see some of the alternatives and to get confused by the many choices. This really covers about 90% of all Photoshop users – from those who have a basic understanding to those who are very experienced users.
Why do I think an experienced user will benefit from this seminar? It’s simple. Last year, at Photoshop World, I had the pleasure of hanging out with Jim and some of the other instructors. “How did you do that?” was a part of almost every conversation. I watch Photoshop TV and read tons of Photoshop blogs and books. I love it when Scott Kelby or one of the truly great instructors says something like “Here’s another way of doing that – a tip I learned from Dave Cross or Jim DiVitale, or Matt Kloskowski”.
Yes, even the best and the most experienced are not too experienced to learn new and simple ways of doing things.
This is the seminar for all of us. It is a Hands On Seminar. Jim’s protocol is simple and effective. First, he demonstrates. Then we all work along with him to master the technique. We see it. And, then, we do it.
Depending on how quickly we move (our motto is “Leave no student behind”) we will cover some of the following:
A. First, we will travel down the left side menu. Honestly, do you know what those tools do and when to use them?
- Selections: Almost every task in Photoshop starts with a “selection” and it seems that there are a million ways to make a selection. Jim will help us decide which is the best for a given task – be it the lasso, magic wand, a quick mask, or a plug in like MaskPro.
- Healing/Patching and Cloning: Ever get frustrated healing and patching? Not sure which tool to use when? How to handle tight spots? Why some of your “cure’s” are opaque and others are not?
- The History and Art History Brushes: Huh?
- Making Brushes Work for Us: Custom settings – when and how to use them.
- Color Replacement: Do I use that brush or is there a better way?
- The Custom Shape Tool>
- Using the Text Tool: This should be simple, right? It is. But, many of us struggle with it. Jim will help us get over the hurdles.
Ok, you get the idea – there are a lot of basic tools and most of us don’t know which to choose and when.
B. Layers, Masks and Blending Modes: What separates Photoshops from most other manipulation tools is the ability to use layers and masks. Jim will simplify the process so that we feel comfortable using them productively.
C. Filters and Plug-Ins: Photoshop’s own tools and the best from 3rd party vendors. For example, what’s the best way to sharpen an image? Remove the background? Retouch skin? Frame? Enlarge?
That’s a lot you say? It is.
But wait, there’s more.
For the first time, ever – we are going to ask the enrolled students what they want to learn, and try to incorporate some of those concepts into our lesson plan.
We will leave some “open space” in the lesson plan to create segments that directly respond to student requests. In fairness to the entire class, we will pick topics of general interest. We will gather the requests, and if there is something that a majority wants to learn, we will build a segment around it. In some ways, this is a dangerous thing to do. Someone is bound to be disappointed if we don’t use his or her suggestion. We are willing to step out on the limb so long as you trust us to make a decision that best suits the needs and talent levels of the entire group.
So there it is – The Photoshop KISS* Seminar.
Is This the Class For You?
How do you decide if this class is for you? Here are a couple of questions you might want to ask yourselves:
Are you proficient on your computer? Do you know how to turn it on, download files, open, close and save files? Is your computer “stable”? Has it been trouble free for a while? Can you deal with crashes and freezes? Unfortunately, we won’t have IT support on site.
Are you familiar with Photoshop? Do you know how to find the basic tool set? How to open new documents? What layers are and how to create them? Do you have a basic understanding of masks? Have you ever processed a RAW image?
As to the Photoshop questions, if you want to take the seminar, you can build some proficiency in these areas by reading and working with books, online training, and DVD’s – before you come to class. We don’t expect anyone to be experts in these areas. We do think you will need to know how to open the gate to the arena we are entering.
Are you too advanced for the seminar? That’s hard to tell. I really don’t know anyone, including our instructors Dave Cross and Jim DiVitale, who are too advanced to learn new Photoshop techniques. As many of you know, Photoshop is a “black hole”; it’s easy to be captivated, fall in and never come back. There’s always something new, a bit more down the hole.
We are posting this seminar early to give as many people as possible a chance to bring their skills up to the level which we think will ensure a positive experience in the class.
What Am I Supposed to Bring to Class?
Please bring a laptop computer, an extension cord, and a power strip; if you have a tablet, you may want to bring it. I’m sorry, but we cannot support desktop computers or large external monitors; there’s just not enough room in the classroom.
To Get Ready for Class We Recommend:
1. That you download the trial versions of the software we will be using in class and familiarize yourself with what they do and how they do it. Proficiency is not necessary. Familiarity will be helpful:
In additioin to Photoshop, we will touch on aspects of:
a. onOne Software – just click the link to download MaskPro 4.1, PhotoFrame Pro 3.1, and Genuine Fractals 5. This site has great video tutorials on each product. These are fully functional versions that expire after the trial period. (If clicking on the underlined text does not work put the following URL in your browser: http://www.ononesoftware.com/)
b. Imagenomic – download and try Noiseware , Portraiture and Real Grain. These are fully functional trial versions – except they leave a watermark on your prints. You’ll get to learn how to use them and see whether you like them, but you won’t want to print the images. There are some excellent training materials on this site. (If clicking on the underlined text does not work put the following url in your browser: (If clicking on the underlined text does not work put the following url in your browser: http://www.ononesoftware.com/)
2. We will teach this course using Photoshop CS3 and Lightroom 2.0. Most of what we do can also be done in CS and CS2, but we strongly recommend that you upgrade to CS3 if you can.If you do not own Lightroom, you can download a free, 30 day, trial version from Adobe.
3. When you come to class, we will give you a CD with the files we will be using in the exercises. So, you’ll need a computer with a functioning CD drive and the ability to load the files.
This is a long description because we think we are offering a lot of class. We want to be very careful to let you know what we are going to be doing and give you a way to figure out whether or not you should take the class. We really don’t want to discourage anyone. This class will work for people with basic computer and Photoshop skills.
Enrollment in this seminar will be capped at 15 students for the entire weekend. We expect this class to fill quickly.
But Wait, There’s More
This seminar is being brought to you with the help of our sponsors – Houston Camera Exchange, the MAC Group, onOne Software, Lensbaby and Imagenomic. Upon completion of the class you will be given certificates that allow you to purchase their products at discounted prices.
This seminar will be taught in the classroom and studio of:
PrairieFire Productions, Inc.
7026 Old Katy Road
Studio 162
Houston, Texas 77024
New and Improved Registration Process
We are currently working on a brand new registration process, one that will simplify enrolling and paying.
This is our first test of the system:
Step 1: To reserve a place in the seminar, send me an email by clicking here:
When I receive the email, I’ll put you on a list and look for your payment.
Step 2: Send a check for $350.00 made out to: PrairieFire Productions, Inc.
And mailed to:
PrairieFire Productions, Inc.
7026 Old Katy Road
Studio 162
Houston, Texas 77024
On the check, indicate that the payment is for Jim’s seminar.
SENDING THE CHECK LOCKS IN YOUR SPOT.
Jim’s seminars have filled quickly. When we have received payment from 15 students, we close enrollment. Although we keep a waiting list, we rarely have more than one spot, per seminar, open up because of cancellations. So, it’s a good idea to enroll as soon as you decide you want to attend.
Refund Policy: In these small classes, we do not offer refunds UNLESS we can fill the seat with another student. This often happens because we usually have a waiting list. But, there are no guarantees.
This will be a great seminar and I look forward to seeing you there.
If you have any questions, please email me.
This seminar will be taught in the classroom and studio of:
PrairieFire Productions, Inc.
7026 Old Katy Road
Studio 162
Houston, Texas 77024