Keeping Up With The World

Every year I attend the Kelby Adobe Photoshop training seminar here in Denver,Colorado. Every year there are over 500 or so people attending, and every year I get inspired, so much fun. I always come back home feeling that just maybe I can create something different. I am finding the transitions interesting when it comes to software and technology trends. I feel it takes us on roller coaster journey all of its own very own, forever changing and the cost for many of us hard to keep up.

I enjoyed the seminar very much helping with work flow, and many other workings to speed up our Photoshop experience, to trying to create our very own style. I am a sucker for technology and will take a lot from yesterday. One of which was Camera Raw. I have not used Adobe Camera Raw very much, with a brief introduction when I had the opportunity to beta test for Adobe, I felt very green to its abilities. So yesterday I came away with a new understanding to its workings. I do most of my processing with Adobe Lightroom and enjoyed seeing what camera raw could do and Ben Willmore added a few twist to its uses that were fun.

It got me to thinking about where to go this next year, as a Photographer we all have the same labs available to us for prints, wraps and framing. We can all purchase the same plugins and templates at a cost for some and free downloads for the masses, so maybe the pocket book is the restriction, however would it not be better to create your own styles something different that stands alone, individual and unique. My question of how to differentiate myself is a daily banter. I do know some of us specialize in certain areas putting our efforts in children's portraits, family, maternity, and then there are the masters of nature, sports and the traveling photojournalist showing us the world through their eyes using light with both its beauty and pain. As I get to meet more and more people in the industry I find it interesting how many are continually trying to find the balance of learning from others yet making their own work different, and the masters who had a style and are trying to keep up with the ever changing world.

As I contemplate tomorrow and consider the past, living in the present is so much fun, I look to move to a new level next year with a new found excitement to be different and to make a difference where I can. Maybe it's our Character and attitude to life that will power us to new heights.

Just thoughts and thanks from a small fish in the big ocean.

To Plan Or Not To Plan, Maybe Just Believe

I find inspiration for life and my work all over from books to web sites, sucked into social media. It's amazing how quickly time passes and how quickly you can get pulled into the information highway. I wanted to share something I did read yesterday, the headline was "There is no plan B" by Ernie Schenck in the Communication Arts Annual. Great article but what hit me hard as I looked back through my life was, I dreamt all through high school to go to Art college. I was not sure of the medium or what I would use it for but I really, really, wanted to go, so I do believe that was my "Plan A". Life then came round and some events took place that meant that the last few years in high school were extra tough, my own choice's and an anger at the world that would blind me. Plan A went by the way side rapidly while I tried to find my path, the ups and downs of adolescence and the trials that come with trying to fit in. So to plan b and to putting my dreams aside and to my second choice in college. To this day I will always wonder why that choice! some times we never truly get all the answers. Plan b took shape and took me round the world, experiences to enlighten and test the soul, of which at times I felt why, then a feeling it was meant so as I can be who I am today and where I am today. Eventually I found a place to call home a place where the light is so rich and the world is bright, colorful and beautiful. The passion in my soul would start to grow and the funny thing, plan A came back to light. With a few introductions and a conquering of fear I started back and on the path to my dreams again. I have not returned to Art College but I am on the path of art, photography, illustrations and writing. I have just seen a friend fulfill one of her dreams of writing and publishing a book, to be a part of that dream and help her was an honor, while traveling to mine, a stepping stone on my journey.

I think some of us do get lost on our journeys, and eventual come back, so just maybe the article is right there is no plan B, we just take a while to get back on the plan A. Just maybe, Plan A is deep within our soul nudging us to do what we have dreamed of I guess it's the courage to just believe and go for it.


Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.

- Harriet Tubman

Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Illustrator CS5

I think many of us have had this program a while and and have been overwhelmed by the tools. As I try to move forward in a Children's book I find I am in need of some original shapes to go in it and the time has come to use this program. As I push buttons and learn how the different tools behave I find I get more and more excited. This started as a simple oval.

I then manipulated it with the crystal tool with the many combinations I found the more simple the shape the more effective. I am amazed at how many variations there are, you could truly spend all day putting in different combinations for different effects. Not quite satisfied I then took it to the spiral tool, very fun but again so many different controls. I do have to say this was hard to control until I figured you can slow the movement down, and change the shape using the option key, then I was rocking. Still not happy with the shape, I then found the oh so fun SCRIBBLE effect ok this gave me a whole new look, just like me I then could not find it a second time!! I should start jotting down my paths to share with you all, I just get carried away and before I realize I am 3 steps away in my excitement. Scribble is under effects/stylize. I then added a pucker bloat and I do believe I have my new shape for the book.

I hope to share more as I go in hope that I can inspire those who keep looking at illustrator open it and then turn it off!! Those of us beginners who just need simple instructions.