Pixiq

A little late with my last report on the last day of Photoshop World (PSW). It was both an exhausting and exhilarating week. A lot of us instructors commented at the energy at this convention from both the attendees and the instructors. I think the high point was at the closing ceremony when Dave Black, an amazing sports photographer (be sure to check out his work if you’re not familiar with it) opened his heart on stage at what teaching meant to him. His involvement in photography was the result of one teacher who pushed and encouraged his photography. While not using the words, his attitude was definitely about passing it forward. He had to stop at one point, because he was chocking up talking about his road to where he is today. He also said he babbled on for an hour and a half hour to his wife as to how much he loved teaching at this convention. This was not Dave’s first rodeo so to speak, but he definitely felt his was a definite high point.

I can tell you being an instructor, you feed off the audience. When there is great energy, good questions, it lifts you up and makes you excel.

My day started with a program called “The War on Photographers”, an update to one I do with lawyer Ed Greenberg, who was tied up with lawyer stuff. I talked about the ruling in the Cariou v Prince copyright infringement case, issues on negotiating, licensing, and issues with writing invoices, which is your license to use your work.

After that I attended some classes myself. One was my friend Jeff Schewe’s class on processing Raw files in Adobe Camera Raw (ACR).  I think the only person who knows more about raw processing is Thomas Knoll, who wrote both Photoshop and ACR. While I know a lot about ACR, I still picked up some nuggets. I always learn something listening to high caliber instructors, no matter the subject.

One more class on editing with Premier Pro and then to the closing ceremony looking at great work from four of the instructors, Dave Black’s emotional talk and then “master” master of ceremony, Larry Becker, giving away all sorts of giveaways to lucky attendees.

The instructors then get together for a final get together. It’s a mutual admiration society. This show also ended on a really high note when many of us met that evening at the bar and traded as many bad jokes as we could remember. A lot of laughs, a lot of fun.

Now I’m on in August to another favorite convention, the Maui Photo Festival. A completely different flavor, but also a lot of fun. I’ll be seeing some of my PSW buddies there, like Eddie Tapp and Jimmy DiVitale. And a week after Maui will be Photoshop Word West in Las Vegas. If any Pixiq readers there, please say “Hey!”