News, news, news..

Folks, if you’ve been wondering about the lack of posts on PhotoshopNews.com, I’ve been heads-down working on the update to Real World Camera Raw with Adobe Photoshop CS4. I’m happy to repots, it’s done, well almost. I’m done except for reviewing the last chapter (due to me this morning) and then Peachpit has to get the index done. But it’s almost ready to send off to the printers and should be printed and released in December.

That’s what I’ve been doing and why PhotoshopNews has gone a bit silent (which was real hard to let happen because, well Photoshop CS4 and Camera Raw 5 is pretty big news). There’s going to be another upcoming release of Camera Raw soon (which I can’t really talk about) that has some, uh, new stuff (that I can’t really talk about) but that’s why we didn’t have RWCRCS4 ready to ship when CS4 shipped.

But that doesn’t mean I can come up for air…ya see, I still have another book to finish along with Martin Evening. Adobe Photoshop CS4 for Photographers: The Ultimate Workshop which is due to be released on March 2009.

So, I’ve been a busy boy and still have a lot of work to do. Add to this is the fact we’ve gotten the band back together and are going out on the road doing the Epson Print Academy (we’ve already done Atlanta last week and Washington DC last Sunday). I suspect the number of posts on PhotoshopNews.com will continue to be a bit sparse through the end of the year…oh, and did I mention that the other band is getting back together too? Yep, Michael Reichmann, JP Caponigro, Steve Johnson and Seth Resnick and I  are going back down for a photo expedition to Antarctica again in early January, 2009 for 14 days of shooting and teaching. Hum, remind me why I opted to do PhotoshopNews.com again?

I’ll post what I can, when I can…I’ll also try to get some guest bloggers to help out but you’ll just have to forgive me for over extending my time and activities a bit…

:~)

Original post by Jeff Schewe

Adobe has released updates to Photoshop Lightroom and the Photoshop Camera Raw plug-in, both available immediately as free upgrades for Lightroom 2 and Photoshop CS4 users.

The releases provide added raw file support for 15 digital cameras including the Nikon D90, Nikon D700, Canon EOS 50D and Canon EOS 1000D.

The Lightroom 2.1 update also includes improvements to Photoshop integration, Web module stability for Microsoft Windows Vista 64-bit operating systems, performance with 64-bit Mac OS X 10.5 Macintosh computers, and Keyword migration from Lightroom. A complete list of improvements is available in the Lightroom update documentation.

In addition, Adobe has released a new set of camera profiles available on Adobe Labs. The camera profiles are targeted at improving Adobe’s default raw processing and emulating the color rendering provided by camera manufacturers. The update includes added support for the Leica M8, Canon EOS 50D, Canon G9, Nikon D90 and Pentax models. Camera profiles are the visual starting point for the raw processing workflow. Since image preferences vary by photographer, Adobe minimizes surprises by supplying default camera profiles that closely emulate the visual looks that photographers normally see from their cameras.

The 15 new digital cameras supported in Lightroom 2.1 and Camera Raw 5.1 include the Canon EOS 1000D, Canon EOS 50D, Fuji FinePix IS Pro, Kodak EasyShare Z1015 IS, Leaf AFi II 6, Leaf AFi II 7, Leaf Aptus II 6, Leaf Aptus II 7, Nikon D700, Nikon D90, Nikon Coolpix P6000, Olympus SP-565 UZ, Pentax K2000, Sigma DP1, and Sony A900. Additionally, Adobe recently released Camera Raw 4.6, which includes the same raw file support for Photoshop CS3 customers.

Pricing and Availability

The Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2.1 will available as a free download for existing customers at www.adobe.com/downloads/updates/.Photoshop Lightroom 2 can be purchased through the Adobe Store at www.adobe.com/store.The estimated street price is USD$299 for new users with an upgrade price of USD$99 for registered users of qualifying Lightroom customers. The updated camera profiles are available as a separate download on Adobe Labs at http://labs.adobe.com.

The Photoshop Camera Raw plug-ins will be available as free downloads for existing customers. Camera Raw 5.1 for Photoshop CS4 users and Camera Raw for Photoshop CS3 users are available at www.adobe.com/downloads/updates/.

NOTE: as of this posting, the downloads have not yet appeared, they should show up “shortly”.

Original post by PSN Editorial Staff

John, on his Adobe Blog says “By and large, keyboard shortcut changes suck.  Mature tools are like musical instruments, and you don’t go moving the piano keys or cello strings without a great need to do so.  It’s painful.  We know.”

Read what else John has to say in this post Shortcut changes in PSCS4

Original post by PSN Editorial Staff

Milestone Release Radically Improves Creative Workflow Efficiency; Redefines Collaboration Between Designers and Developers

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Oct. 15, 2008 — Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced the immediate availability of the Adobe® Creative Suite® 4 product family, the highly-anticipated release of industry-leading design and development software for virtually every creative workflow. Delivering radical breakthroughs in workflow efficiency – and packed with hundreds of innovative, time saving features – the new Creative Suite 4 product line advances the creative process across print, Web, interactive, film, video and mobile.

Customers can choose from six new versions: Adobe Creative Suite 4 Design Premium, Design Standard, Web Premium, Web Standard, Production Premium and Master Collection. The combination of Creative Suite and the new capabilities of Adobe Flash® Player 10, also available today (see separate press release) deliver new levels of creativity and expressiveness across media channels. Designers using the Adobe Creative Suite 4 product family will gain unprecedented creative control using the new expressive features and visual performance improvements in Adobe Flash Player 10 to deliver breakthrough Web experiences across multiple browsers and operating systems.

“Creative Suite 4 and Flash Player 10 introduce vital time-saving features, new levels of integration and the jaw-dropping innovations our design and developer customers expect from us,” said John Loiacono, senior vice president, Creative Solutions Business Unit at Adobe.

“CS4 continues to fulfill our promise to customers to break down more barriers in cross-media workflows, while also providing new services and collaboration tools that help them manage complex client demands.”

As part of the CS4 product launch, the largest in Adobe’s history, also available today are brand new versions of Photoshop® CS4, Photoshop CS4 Extended, InDesign® CS4, Illustrator® CS4, Flash CS4 Professional, Dreamweaver® CS4, Fireworks® CS4, Contribute® CS4, After Effects® CS4, Adobe Premiere® Pro CS4, Encore® CS4, Soundbooth® CS4 and Adobe OnLocation™ CS4.

Intuitive Workflows Improve Creative Efficiency
A simplified workflow in Adobe Creative Suite 4 enables users to design across media more efficiently by making it easier to complete common tasks and move content seamlessly among applications. InDesign CS4 includes a new Live Preflight tool that allows designers to catch production errors and a newly customizable Links panel to manage placed files more efficiently. The revolutionary new Content-Aware Scaling tool in Photoshop CS4 and Photoshop CS4 Extended automatically recomposes an image as it is resized, preserving vital areas as it adapts to new dimensions. An expanded version of Dynamic Link in CS4 Production Premium enables users to move and update content between After Effects CS4, Adobe Premiere Pro CS4, Soundbooth CS4, and Encore CS4 without rendering, saving countless hours in production. With deep XMP metadata support, the production workflow is simplified, resulting in online content that gives viewers new ways to interact with and search for video, while giving content owners new opportunities to track and monetize content.

Adobe Creative Suite 4 brings 3D center-stage providing the ability to paint, composite, and animate 3D models using familiar tools in Photoshop CS4 Extended. Flash CS4 Professional now offers the ability to apply tweens to objects instead of keyframes, providing greater control over animation attributes. Also in Flash CS4 Professional, the new Bones tool helps create more realistic animations between linked objects. With a searchable library of more than 450 dynamically updated device profiles from leading manufacturers, Adobe Device Central CS4 enables users to easily test mobile content designed using many of the Creative Suite 4 products.

New and Expanded Services Extend Capabilities for Online Collaboration
Adobe Creative Suite 4 now also offers a host of services* for online collaboration. Adobe ConnectNow, a service of Acrobat.com, allows real-time collaboration with two colleagues or clients. Designers can also share color harmonies with Adobe Kuler™

Other online resources include: Adobe Community Help for technical questions; Resource Central for accessing video and audio product-related news and tutorials, as well as Soundbooth scores and sound effects; and Adobe Bridge Home, a customizable resource for tips, tutorials, news and inspirational content.

Pricing and Availability
Adobe Creative Suite 4 and its associated point products are immediately available through Adobe Authorized Resellers and the Adobe Store at www.adobe.com/store . Estimated street price for the Adobe Creative Suite 4 Design Premium is US$1799, US$1699 for Adobe Creative Suite 4 Web Premium, US$1699 for Adobe Creative Suite 4 Production Premium, and US$2499 for Adobe Creative Suite 4 Master Collection. To reward customers for staying current, Adobe is offering Creative Suite 3 customers moving to Creative Suite 4 a lower upgrade price than it offers to those moving from older, qualifying versions. For a limited time, a special introductory offer enables customers with older qualifying products to enjoy the same lower price with savings of up to US$200 off their actual upgrade price. For more detailed information please visit www.adobe.com/creativesuite .

Adobe Flash Player 10 is available immediately as a free download for Windows, Macintosh and Linux platforms (including new support for Ubuntu 7 and 8  ) from www.adobe.com/go/getflashplayer .

About Adobe Systems Incorporated
Adobe revolutionizes how the world engages with ideas and information – anytime, anywhere and through any medium. For more information, visit www.adobe.com .

Original post by PSN Editorial Staff

Adobe MAX Conference, San Francisco November 16-19, 2008—

an opportunity to connect with thousands of designers, developers, partners, executives, and Adobe staff for education, inspiration, and community.

Russell Brown has adjusted his popular-and long-running ADIM(Art Directors Invitational Master Class) to coincide with MAX.  It’s “the essential two-day, hands-on instructional course that brings top art directors, designers, illustrators, and photographers together to learn advanced tips and techniques using Adobe products” details are on Russell’s site.

The Jurassic Graphic Safari    
ADIM and the MAX Conference join forces

November 16 - 17, 2008

Marriott Hotel, San Francisco

What is ADIM?

The Art Directors Invitational Master Class (ADIM) is the essential two-day, hands-on instructional course that brings top art directors, designers, illustrators, and photographers together to learn advanced tips and techniques using Adobe products. You will learn from Russell Brown, Sandee Cohen, Mordy Golding, and some of the best designers and instructors in the industry. All classes are hosted on Mac computers running the latest Mac OS software.

The limited class size for ADIM@MAX offers participants an intimate and inspiring environment in which to get early instruction on the new Adobe Creative Suite CS4 applications from industry experts, ask questions, and network with others in their field. ADIM is like no other design event on the planet. It is designed to motivate and inspire. It’s an event that promotes zany behavior and rewards participants for wearing crazy theme-based costumes.

Original post by PSN Editorial Staff

John Nack, the senior Photoshop product manager has posted a reminder about Adobe’s upgrade path for older versions of Photoshop to Photoshop CS4. Back when Photoshop CS3 was released, Adobe changed the upgrade eligibility to only 3 versions back. So, as long as you had Photoshop 7 or above, you could upgrade to Photoshop CS3 for the regular upgrade cost of $199 (for the standard version, $349 for Extended). If you have Photoshop CS, CS2 or CS3 you will be able to upgrade for the upgrade pricing. But, if you have Photoshop 7, you will not.

However, between now and October 15th, you CAN still upgrade to Photoshop CS3 and still be able to upgrade to Photoshop CS4 when it is released. Adobe has a policy that if you buy the “current” version of Photoshop (currently CS3) AFTER the next version has been announced but BEFORE it ships, you can get the next version upgrade for the cost of shipping and handling. You will need to contact Adobe Customer Service to get the free upgrade to CS4 as long as your Photoshop CS3 upgrade purchase falls into that after announce, but before CS4 ship date. After Photoshop CS4 ships, the upgrade path to Photoshop CS4 will be Photoshop CS and above only.

The astute amongst you may also deduce when the expected ship date of Photoshop CS4 might be…

Original post by PSN Editorial Staff

Not to be outdone by a tall, good looking blond, Dr. Brown unleashes his own brand of video tutorials on Photoshop CS4.

CS4: Content Aware Scale QuickTime Tutorial; 9.4 MB
Learn about this new seam carving technology in Adobe Photoshop CS4, and you’ll be tempted to never use the standard Transform tools again.
Dr. Brown says, “This new feature is down right amazing!”

CS4 Extended: Spherical Panorama QuickTime Tutorial; 7.7 MB
Discover one of the new 3D features in Adobe Photoshop CS4 Extended. In this tutorial you will learn how to wrap an image around the inside of a sphere, to create a 3D panorama. Then, simply step into this digital space and use some of the new Photoshop CS4 tools to look around your newly created world.

CS4 Extended: 3D Quick-Look QuickTime Tutorial; 4.5 MB
Get ready for an incredible 3D experience, as you view this quick-look at some of the new 3D features in Adobe Photoshop CS4 Extended. This tutorial will take you through some of my favorite new tools for working, and experimenting, with 3D objects.

CS4 Extended: 3D Mesh from Grayscale QuickTime Tutorial; 9.7 MB
Bring 2D images back to life with this new Adobe Photoshop CS4 Extended technique for converting grayscale images into 3D objects. This tutorial will also demonstrate how to generate 3D depth maps directly from 2D images.

CS4 Extended: Advanced 3D Eclipse Animation QuickTime Tutorial; 15.3 MB
Learn about some of the advanced features in Adobe Photoshop CS4 Extended for animating 3D objects. In this project I will create a solar eclipse simulation from 2D, and video images of the earth and moon. Did I mention that this is an advanced tutorial?

Original post by PSN Editorial Staff

Check out Julieanne’s web site for new Camera Raw 5 and Photoshop CS4 video tutorials and PDFs.

ADOBE TV The Complete Picture - Episode 08
Let Julieanne show you the power behind the new features in Camera Raw 5. Discover how to make non-destructive localized corrections as well as create special effects using the Adjustment Brush, Graduated Filter, Post Cropping Vignettes and more!

ADOBE TV The Complete Picture - Episode 07
Discover the new features in Adobe Bridge CS4 as Julieanne walks through the new features, tools, refined interface and integration with Photoshop.

PSCS4 What’s new in Bridge CS4 (PDF)
Learn everything there is to get you up to speed quickly in Bridge CS4.

PSCS4 What’s New in Camera Raw 5 (PDF)
Discover the unlimited possibilities with Camera Raw 5.

PSCS4 Photoshop CS4 - But Wait, There’s More! (PDF)
Master the important but often overlooked refinements and adjustments in Photoshop CS4.

Original post by PSN Editorial Staff

It seems some people see Conspiracy Theories where there really aren’t any. To address some users’ question Scott Kelby took the “easy way” out and did a video with Matt Kloskowski and talked about the timing of Lightroom 2, Photoshop CS4 with Camera Raw 5. I say “easy way” because it was easier for Scott and Matt to sit around talking than having to actually write (his words, not mine).

So check this post out (and watch the video if the mood strikes you–post comments on SCOTT’s blog, not here). Lightroom 2 vs. CS4 & Lightroom Conspiracy Theories

Original post by Jeff Schewe

Bryan Hughes, product manager for Photoshop highlights Photoshop CS4 features on Adobe TV. See the Photoshop CS4 video at here and the Photoshop CS4 Extended video with Zorana Gee who is also a Photoshop product manager here.

Original post by PSN Editorial Staff