Hood River PS Geek Gathering, Print Exchange, Beer and Pizza Extravaganza!

Dang, kids! I've been learning so much about Photoshop in the last few weeks!
When Rick and I got back from the SW I started really working with Tony Kuyper's masking actions along with some sharpening scripts Guy Tal turned me onto that you can download from the web.
Recently, Adobe upgraded ACR to version 4.1 and added some really great sharpening tools as well as a "Clarity" adjustment. ACR alone makes upgrading to PC3, imho. I read Jeff Shewe's article about it last night at his website Photoshop News.
I'm also a NAPP member and I've been getting monthly tips from their magazine. This month I learned how to make a photo "gritty". A technique I've been trying to figure out. Just two nights ago, I couldn't sleep, I learned a really cool, efficient way to use Curves from it also.
All in all, my Photoshop knowledge and really taken a leap.
I do, in fact, use all of the programs in CS3 here at the Coffee Co. so my recent learning is making my life better here at work too!

Very cool! Sounds like a field trip to your house is in order

Come on down! Maybe we can figure out how to get Peggy's laptop hooked up to the TV like you did at your house. If it's just a couple of you though, we could do it upstairs in my "office". Maybe, if I sell a bunch of photos, I'll have the Apple 23" cinema display I've been drooling over.

We'll do that sometime bud. This week I'm booked though. We're leaving tomorrow to travel back to PA for my parents 50th anny celebration.

Depending on the laptop/or PC and the TV hooking them both together can be either "easy" or "mightily frustrating". For our Photoshop workshops up here in the Puget Sound area I've been blessed with the "easy" experience. It DOES help bunches to have it up on the big screen for a room full of nature photogs full O Photoshop/Lightroom questions!!

Speaking of which it's been far tooooo loooong since we last did one of these up here. Any interest from our Puget Sound members?

I'd love to attend a photoshop workshop, depending on the price and what topics you would cover. I am quite interested in the masking techniques talked about above, as I'm getting kind of tired of doing everything by hand with a small brush.

If it's a PNWNP event, Darien, it'll be free (aside from maybe beer, chips, etc..)

Sweet! I can handle beer Diamond Knot anyone?

Let me know the night and time and I'll head out there, too !! Maybe we can all bring along a few prints like last time also ??

Oh and Mark, I totally agree that CS3 is a must have upgrade for photographers for many reasons, ACR 4.1 being one of the biggest. The new clarity is a contrast enhancement tool - from what I can tell, it's like using USM with a pixel size of 75 - very useful to bring more of a 3D look / clarity (wonder why they named it that ??? ) to an image.

Oh oh, now I've done it.

Let me work on getting Peggy's laptop hooked up to the TV first. If that goes well, or goes at all, I'll announce a date.

(oh, god, what have I done???? )

Can I come too? can I? can I?

Hey I'll try to make it as well... I might even show up a little early with a file or two for you to print

Mark, you've opened a can of worms. I totally agree that ACR 4.1 makes the CS3 upgrade totally worth it. My workflow is 90% ACR and 10% in Photoshop. I've been using Photoshop (outside of ACR 4.1) for some creative sharpening, sharpening for printing, and black & white conversion, but that's about it. There are some other things too, but for my normal routine, that's it.

I think it would be great to have another photoshop get together. I was also wondering if anyone would be interested in a print exchange. I small photo group I occasionally meet with has an annual print exchange where everyone brings a print, no larger than 11x14, and all the names are put in a hat and drawn for a print by one of the other photographers. I thought it might be fun to do something like that if we get together for a photoshop day.

Just a thought.

The print exchange would be a good idea, Ryan, I'd go for it. In fact, to dig a deeper hole than the one I've already dug for myself, how about if I offer to print anyone's 11x14 for a cut rate, who can't get it done any other way. I'll charge you for only paper and ink and a little bit of my time. How does ten bucks sound?

What I might do, to avoid this being a total cluster, is to give you a presentation of the way I work my photos. I think I'd have a handout of the general work flow and a list of websites to go to for further learning. I'd have a list also of programs to download (the sharpening scripts, ACR 4.1, etc.) I'd have a list of good books and I'd have my various PS books out for everyone to check out.

There, have I dug a deep enough hole?

I'm in!

That is a deeeeep hole! I'd love to be a part of it. I'll probably make my own print since I have my 3800 sitting here idle most of the time, but a presentation and the discussion you mentioned would be a good topic, I think.

I'm in if its after I get back on the 19th.

OK Puget Sound folks if yall want another workshop session now is the time to speak up! I'm ready and willing to host another one!!

Mark, I'll bring a file to print there as well. This sounds like wacky fun !!

Wacky fun? ah, okay John, uhm, you're not invited.

Okay, a few rules, You can't sleep at my house and I ain't feeding you breakfast if you do. If there is more than six of you, then someone has to bring some extra toilet paper. No you can't burn discs on my computer, you can't use the phone or the hot tub.

I might be gone for the next six months, so I don't know when we'll do this.

Count me in Mark! I'm heading to Florida on the 19th and will be back on the 24th-ish...but dont hold off on my account. I can have the next one at my house 'cause I just bought a 50" slim DLP with a PC input and it works great! even plays the movie 300 perfectly

I'll be gone the 22-25, but it's your show, so if I miss this one there will hopefully be another. So, Mark, if I bring my own bacon and eggs and I wake up at your house, that would be okay then?

gone for 6 months?!?

I'd be interested in a get-together, although I still don't have CS2 up and running yet but it would be interesting to hear what people are PS'ing these days.

Kevin

Rick,

For what it is worth, I'd be in for a session up here.

Regards, Simon

Ryan, after entertaining the wild and wacky herd of photogs the night before, maybe if you have the table set and a feast laid out for me when I wake up, it would be okay.

Rick, it was a joke, you know, like I'm trying to get out of this hole I've dug, get it? I'll explain later if you need.

Rick, I'ld be interested in one up here also. Being new to all this digital stuff I wouldn't have much to offer except perhaps the beer, or scotch.

Hi Rick, I'd be interested in the Puget Sound PNWNP'ers version too. Thanks for offering to do it. Sounds fun.

Let's all help Mark dig the hole even deeper and add a Scotch tasting session to get warmed up for his presentation...

He said we can't sleep in his house, but he said nothing about sleeping in the yard! With scotch tasting...that may be a must!

I've already warned Peggy and Ellen that they might want to go camping that night....

I just bought a new canopy for my truck. I think I've got an air mattress around here somewhere

If Peggy and Ellen go camping, we make sure Mark has pleanty to drink, and then we make lots of big prints, stay the night and eat breakfast, and then get out of there before he wakes up! Woo Hoo!

Ok...so the photoshop thing would be great.....but, if you are gonna do Scotch tastings, I would like to add some of my favorite rums into the mix....Scotch is good and so is Rhum....

Anyone up for cigars!!!!

actually, I too would love to learn more about CS3. How do I go about getting the upgrade to ACR 4......thanks in advance....1 more day of work...then I am off till the 10th of Sept.....

Cigar - yes..

Ah, Ryan, Ned, Darren, Curtis, you guys aren't invited either.

Rick, count me in if you host one up here. I think understanding all the features in ACR 4.1 would be great. I just figured out I can open a shot in RAW, then send it to CS3 as a smart object so I can even edit the RAW settings later That is REALLY cool

The soonest weekend sounds like the 30th/1st. How about Saturday night June 30th. That's sorta looking like the best time for me. You all could go out and shoot in the Gorge on the way here, get here early-ish for printing, then the show would begin, at six or seven... Scotch, beer, pizza, photoshop...

How's that sound?

I'll be checked into Walupt Lake campground by that time, so I'll be thinkin' about y'all as I sit by the fire sipping scotch and wondering what sunrise will bring next morning

I'll be back from my totally sweet vacation by then, so I will head on out.....

I'm there !!! Save some ink for me

Pending the wifes work schedule, I can make it that weekend.....


Ill bring some Rum and a couple cigars if anyone is interested....oh...and I may bring a file to have printed for the 10.00 offering service charge.....

Shoot the Gorge???? whats that!!!???

Don't even think about smoking those things anywhere near my house, Darren!

The ten dollar charge is only for the print you'll be giving away that night.

Jeez! I can see this is going to be like herding cats. Does anyone know where I can get a cattle prod?

I should be able to do that. Count me in! Mark, besides a print or a file for printing for the exchange, would you like the attendees to bring some grub, brews, etc?

No worries Mark......

is the Rum still ok!!!??

Ryan, beer, chips, pizza, yes. We could order out for pizza and have it delivered.

You know, if we're going to drink, I don't want anyone driving home drunk or even buzzed. We have a large driveway where we could park four or five campers or trucks and a few of you could sleep out on the back deck. I'll even make coffee in the morning. BUT! you ain't getting showers and you have LIMITED use of the bathrooms!

The 30th sounds like a great night for this - maybe a late afternoon start??? I'll be in HR in the afternoon anyways for the Thomas the Tank Engine HR RR thing. Y'all could meet the littl'ins.

Kevin

Well I saw Rick's invite first and jumped in. I'll make it here as well - June 30th I'm open and it'll be a sweet motorcycle ride down to Hood River.

- pradeep

As much as I'd like to stumble outside and sleep on your deck, I won't be drinking more than a beer, as I'll be driving home after we are done.

I was also wondering if a slightly earlier start would work? I could make it either way though.

I'm ready for any ideas as far as starting goes.

Also, if any of you have specific requests as to what you want to learn, let's hear it. My idea, is to go over ACR, various ways to get a true white and black, then Tony's actions, maybe get on to selections a bit.

You guys are all a bunch of PS geeks.

If there is interest, I can bring some of the test printing on different papers I've done on my 3800. I've printed test prints with profiles made by the paper company (i.e. Moab profiles for Moab paper, etc.) I couldn't really afford to get custom profiles for each one, but printed these in a search for the ultimate papers for color and b&w. I've got test prints for the following papers:

Moab: Entrada Bright White, Entrada Natural, Kayenta Photo Matte, Kokopelli Photo Satin

Red River: Aurora White, Aurora Natural, Green Pix, GC Matte, River Linen, Polar Matte, Premium Matte, Premium Matte C2S, Premium Gloss Plus, Polar Satin, Denali Semi Gloss, Denali Gloss, Ultra Pro Satin, UtraPro Gloss,

Ilford: Smooth Heavyweight Matte

Epson: Velvet Fine Art, Premium Luster

I have a lot of Red River samples because they are starting to offer 17x25 flat cut sheets, which would be great for 16x24 full frame images. I've been cutting Moab Entrada to that size from a roll, which has been working well, but having pre-cut sheets would be convienent.

Anyway, I'll bring them along for viewing. The test prints have both color and black and white images in a wide range of tones.

Don't group ME with THEM, Marc, I am a student of the finer points of PS, THEY are geeks.

Cummonnnn Mark! Your our leader

Marc, if you want to show up, I'll make you a name tag that states "I am not a Geek". Maybe I can seat the geeks on one side of the room and the non-geeks on the other.

The side room with the geeks may stress the foundation of your house if we all stand in one area at the same time.

Actually I was thinking of sitting all you geeks outside, you'd have to look in through the window. It would only be Marc and me inside, obviously.

Too bad I'm out in the Sisters the week of the 30th.

Chicken!

Perhaps, Mark. But you know my place is out there, not sitting around talking PS with people (not that I don't like meeting you folks, just talk to me about going hiking instead). Even if I did, I suspect it might not help anyone much. The brief times I've spent trying to explain what I do in PS have gone over terribly. Not only are people shocked at how little I know, but they would never have guess to do things the way I do - or that they actually work (for me), for that matter. I'm weird, but hey, my prints look great so who cares. You guys wouldn't learn much from me being there.....well....... I have this new print sharpening method.... But overall, I find PS confusing, and I do a lot of stuff unconventionally.

Lastly, it's well over three hours each way from Corvallis, and I told Annie we were going canoeing in the Sisters that week.

No worries, Marc, I'm just ribbing ya!

Okay kids, here's the final plan.
My house (directions below) 4 or 5 pm (depending if you want to print or not) Saturday, June 30th.
Bring yourself, a print, signed, (11x17) to be given away via a random drawing. Some beer, chips, we'll order Pizza to be delivered so bring cash. (BTW I like Dead Guy Ale from the Rouge Brewery)

PS work will start around 6. I will have a program that will take a couple of hours to go through. Maybe if you have one of those Crazy Creek backpacking chairs, you could bring it so that everyone has a place to sit.

Directions to my house:
from Portland,
Take the first Hood River Exit #62.
At the stop sign at the end of the ramp take a right and then take another right right after that onto Country Club Rd.
About a quarter mile down Country Club Rd take a left onto Frankton Rd.
Weave around a bit, go up a hill, maybe 3/4 of a mile and take a right onto Post Canyon Rd.
One hundred yards after turning onto Post Canyon take a right onto Larch Ct.
My house is straight ahead and on the left a bit.
The address is 660 Larch Ct and the numbers are on one of the columns on the left of the front porch.
Park in the road to the right of my house. No one lives in the house next door so don't worry about it.

My cell # 541-490-8455

Cool, I'm there. Now I just have to decide which print to bring.

Count me in!

Sounds like fun, I'll be there unless something comes up like epic conditions somewhere or my baby gets sick.

Me some too, see you on the 30th

I'm taking suggestions.

What do people want to see explained at the Geek Fest?

I'm planning on going through the whole work flow from start to finish with a few alternatives at each step.

Mark, that sounds like a great plan to me. From "start to finish" both web and print versions maybe?

I like the workflow idea, focusing on the things you've learn recently that you mentioned early on in this thread.

Well I have a workshop that weekend, so can't make it, but maybe some other time. You guys have fun.

I have family-in-laws showing up, so I'm sorry to say but I don't think I'll make it also.... really wanted to come, but I'm married and want to stay so.

Bummer, John, can't you get divorced or something?

Might actually make it afterall... if I bring an image to print, that would be at 6pm or do I need to arrive earlier ?

I can squeeze you in, John, after all, getting divorced to come here, that's big time.

Ok I'll be there Mark but is it mandatory to bring the print - I don't think I have any print worthy pictures :)

- pradeep

No, it's not mandatory.

Mark, looks like I can make it also, See you Sat.

Cool, Jerry! I think there is going to be quite a crowd. I'm spending today and tomorrow morning getting ready for it.

I'll be bringing a double matted print that I already have made up - the Zion waterfall image I posted a while back. It's dimensions are a little non-standard, so whoever gets it will maybe have to buy one of those black framing kits to hang it. I'd also like to bring along a new image I just worked of a lighthouse. Does anyone have a big sheet of premium lustre they could bring to sell me (bigger than 13x19 Super B?) I'd like to do a 16 x 22 or something of it.... thanks..

Ned, I have the matte black ink loaded into my printer. I don't know what the matte black will look like on luster paper.

oh...well, that is ok then.... moab will work....

ok kids, I have my schedule cleared, I will be there.....this should be interesting.

Mark, which types of file would you prefer to print from...all my masters are saved as TIFF's

also...if anyone wants to shoot the Gorge tomorrow before the shindig....let me know.....

email me at drwhite75@comcast.net or call me at 5036809113....c'ya

Tiffs are fine, heck,jpegs are fine if they are a few hundred megabytes and haven't been opened and saved a bunch of times.

any preference on media type...CF card or CD???

CD although I can deal with a CF card

done!!!

Didn't make it.... hope it was a good time.

Well, let me put it this way, you should be real bummed that you missed it!

more later.