Friday Stuff
Here’s some quick Lightroom news, websites, inspiration, and yes… one of Matt’s blatant plugs (I know, we haven’t seen one of those in a while). Let’s get started.
First up, let’s start off with my blatant plug. I’m ecstatic to report that I held a copy of my newly printed Photoshop Layers book yesterday. See, I wrote this book back in June of 2007. Because of some publishing schedules and a few other factors it’s just now being printed. As you can imagine (after having waited nearly 7 months) it’s a really cool feeling to finally hold a printed copy. So if you’re a Photoshop user (and I know you are) and you’re trying to get your head around that whole Layers concept this one is for you. Everyone that has seen it so far, loves it. Oh yeah, I’ll be signing the book for anyone who orders it from Kelby Training’s website so click here to get your copy signed.
Update: I forgot to mention, the Layers book hit the top 250 of all books on Amazon yesterday. It made it to the top 7 of all books in the Computers and Internet category. And it’s not even out yet! Sweet!!! Thanks to anyone who has already ordered it.
OK, now that we have that out of the way, check out some results of the aged texture preset from the other week. I love this stuff.
If you’re looking for some inspiration then you’re gonna like this one. I just spent about 15 minutes on Chromasia.com. It’s got a mix of documentary, portrait, beauty, and landscape photography and is well worth a visit.
It’s old news but one of my blog readers started a Flickr group for all of my presets a while back (now over 420 members strong!). That’s not the real news though. There’s a Lightroom Flickr group that’s really gained some traction over the last year. It’s not only got some great photos to look at but the comment section has spurred some really valuable discussions. Make sure you pay it a visit here.
If you’re looking for a Lightroom forum then here’s a couple of resources. First off, if you’re a NAPP member then the NAPP member website has a dedicated forum for Lightroom. The folks in the NAPP forums are awesome and you’ll thoroughly enjoy your time there. If you’re not a NAPP member, check out the Adobe forums or the ones over at LightroomForums.net.
Finally, if you need even more Lightroom stuff to keep you busy over the weekend, Adobe has been doing a great job of keeping up to date Lightroom content out there. So if you get tired of hearing my voice or reading my stuff make sure you take a look at their Lightroom Design Center. I’ll warn you now though, I pop up on there a few times so if you are tired of me, seeing my stuff there could push you to that tipping point where you destroy all of your camera gear. So stay away from anything with my name on it 🙂
That’s all I got for today. Thanks for listening to my blatant plug. Make sure you stop by Kelby Training and buy lots of signed copies 😉 (hey, I’m excited). Of course, if that’s not your thing, just make sure you have a fun and safe weekend. See you next week!
Hi again Matt,
Cool – thanks for the prompt response 🙂
J.
To Jack (and anyone else with this issue),
There seems to be an image size problem with all of the images. A resize action was inadvertently run on the images when they were watermarked and compressed into a ZIP. Anyway, the good news is that we just need to re-compress the file and post it to the same website for download. That should be done before you even read this but I just wanted to let everyone else know too.
Thanks and sorry for the inconvenience.
Matt K
Hi Matt,
After two months waiting, I finally found the Amazon box on the dining room table yesterday when I got home: Layers is finally here!
Although the back cover is folded the book looks great – great job!
Tonight I downloaded the images to ‘play along’ with the examples – the download is just 14Mb… That kind of worried me… Extracting the files, confirmed my worries: looking at the surfer images of chapter one, they are not usable for the examples: just 200x130px?!?! They are like tiny spots on the 2000×800 new image opened on page 11 – and working on these with a 400px brush on page 14?! Come on!!
Why not give us some proper files to work with?!
Regards.
Matt, does the book cover unsharpen masks?
Hi,
The book doesn’t include a CD but all of the images are available for download on a website (you’ll get the URL from the introduction in the book). So you can indeed follow along with the images that I used.
The book is geared for CS2 and CS3. Everything works fine in both versions. Out of about 50 tutorials in the book, there is only one of them which is CS3 only (Smart Filter Layers). The rest of them all work just the same in CS2.
Hope this helps! Thanks.
Matt K
Hey Matt
Does the book contain a CD? Is it applicable to CS2 and not heavily weighted towards CS3 (which I don’t have).
Hey Matt-
Congrats on the book- SK sounded like he was pretty pumped about it! Anyway, I,m down in Mexico and in your neck of the woods Tx- Mon. I’ll check in with you later in the week to see if you’ll be around. Any Grips yet?
Your Park City Connection,
Rob O
PS- next time you hit Vegas let me know!
Aloha Matt,
Kudos on the new release – and thanks for all the GREAT tips over the years. Recently I’ve been combining your Aged Preset with frame edges and other textures. Talk about that Old Time look!
All the best,
– Don T.
Matt-
Congrats on the book.
I was just wondering if you could do a little segment on filenames. Not types, like .dng and all that, but the actually filenames you can customize and stuff.
Thanks.
– Adam T.
Matt,
Thanks for the link to my blog, I enjoyed your Aged Preset. Keep up the great work and congrats on the book.
Hi Matt,
Just placed my order through Kelby Training for a copy of your Layers Book. Yeah I could have ordered from Amazon UK I guess, but with the offer of having it signed too, how could I refuse :o)
All the best to you and yours,
Glyn
Hi Matt,
thanks for the link, and I’m glad you enjoyed your visit to chromasia.
barp: you might want to check out Noise Ninja, available from http://www.picturecode.com – I use it for all my work.
Cheers,
Dave
Hi Matt!
congrats on the book, this could be just what i need. Question for ya: i have been looking at the test programs for noise reduction for NoiseImage and for Noiseware and am trying to decide on one …can you recommend one, please? sorry if it is off topic for today..i love your tips.
cheers,
b
Matt,
I have my copy on pre-order from Amazon for a number of weeks now. Look forward to learning new things from your new book. Can’t wait till I have a copy of your new book in my hands.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge of layers.
John
Matt congrats on the book. you should be proud of your new baby.. Look forward to getting and reading..
Hi Matt
Congratulations on the new book!
Many thanks for the plug for the Flickr Lightroom Group which I co-Admin. We’re up to more than 3,500 members and still growing! With good luck and a following wind, we may hit 4,000 by Easter… Thanks again – and thanks for a brilliant and invaluable website.
Regards
Hugh
Hey Matt,
Ordered your book from Kelby Training on Tuesday not knowing you were going to sign it … Having a sign copy is GREAT! I’m really looking forward to it … Layers have alway been a mystery to me.
Thanks for all you do! When to find all this time?
Dennis
I pre-ordered The Moment It Clicks and your Layers book from Amazon two months ago, have received The Moment it Clicks and am thoroughly enjoying it. Can’t wait to receive yours, even though the Amazon copy won’t be signed!
I want to add my thanks also for everything you and your colleagues do to share your knowledge of, and passion for, this marvelously creative digital world. I learn so much from your blog, Scott’s, RC on Layers and of course PS TV. And, I intend to spend many wonderful hours enjoying Kelby Training courses as I pursue my love of photography and web design in my very active retirement!
Shut Up !! : )
I can’t wait to head over to Kelby training and get this book. And then I may finally have a grip on this whole “Layers” thing that everyone talks about… I can’t wait. Congrats Matt !!
Congrats on the book release, Matt. I’m guessing that the content will be applicable to Elements as well(?) Many thanks for the great stuff today – I really enjoyed my browse through Chromasia.