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Introducing Photoshop to Newbies

On July 11, 2011

I’m working on an introduction to Photoshop class I’ll be teaching later this summer for several of my co-workers. I am by no means an expert at Photoshop. Maybe an advanced novice? I used to sit next to several graphic designers at my last job and those ladies could fly through the Adobe Suite, using it to wield all sorts of power. I define my skill set as more of the putting-your-friend’s-head-on-someone-else’s-body variety. An import skill to have though, right?

The people with whom I will be working want a basic summary. I am trying to simplify this complex tool as much as I can without, I hope, dumbing it down too much. The topics I am going to cover in my class are:

Basics
Pictures for print versus web
Cropping and Resizing images
Balancing color
Using the Clone Tool
Color Match
Copy pieces from one image to another
Applying aftereffects

As I get each section ready I plan to post it here. If you have comments about what I share or suggestions of things that have helped you learn Photoshop more easily, I’d love to hear them. Also, if there was one thing you wish you could do with Photoshop, what would it be?

My Wonder Woman Wrist Cuff

By Kate

On February 2, 2011

In technology, work

Do you ever take surveys that ask you how much time on average you spend on a computer per day or week? I do and the amount I have to answer is always horrid. I spend every day at work at a computer almost all day. At home I sit at my computer some more so I can check email, work on freelance projects, blog, etc.

Each day I am accompanied by my faithful sidekick – a hand brace. It’s sort of like a Wonder Woman wrist cuff but way, way, way less cool. It’s the crutch makes me able to continue working on computers. It’s the very visible indicator that someday I will no longer regularly work on computers because it won’t be an option.

It’s overwhelming to see it coming. It’s also liberating to know that I can’t keep doing what I’m doing. It opens up a world of possibilities. More often than not, it is the lens through which I watch TV, read articles and books and have conversations with people. Could I do what you do? Could I pursue this subject professionally? Could I make a living doing that? The answer is almost always no but eventually I’m going to come across the perfect thing. The things with the most promise are unprofitable and a little strange:

Urban farmer
Education, although as technology and education become more intertwined, this will be ruled out
Professional gift wrapper
Independently wealthy (this one is profitable, just unlikely)

Making Being Green Easier

By Kate

On January 30, 2011

In travel, work

I recently stayed at a Doubletree Hotel for a work meeting. It was a nice two-room suite with a king-size bed that made the queen-size one I have at home look dinky. I had two large televisions to choose from when watching TV and a nice wet bar where I could make coffee. Aside from some really slow internet access and the fact that the gym was two blocks away so there was no way for me to get there in my workout gear (shorts), the stay was really nice. The best part? They had trashcans that I’ve wanted for a long time and, in fact, thought were an idea of my own creation.

Inside each trashcan were two smaller trashcans — one for garbage and one for recycling. It’s fabulous! The fact is, we create garbage and recyclable material in just about every room in our house. And yet we only have one indoor recycling container in our kitchen and a bag I keep in my office. If I had one in every room I’m sure I would recycle even more.

Unfortunately I didn’t have the guts to steal this one so I still need to figure out my own solution. But at least now I know its possible. And that I won’t make millions from what I thought was my own invention.

My Personal Brand, And No, I don’t Mean My Brand of Stink

By Kate

On October 20, 2010

In work

I went to school to study journalism. I had no interest in reporting on hard news. I like fluffy news the way I like the soft sciences. I’d rather write a movie review or do an interview with a local hero over investigative journalism.

There’s discussion now around the question “Is going to journalism school a waste of money?” I may not be nearly as successful as the woman featured in the NPR article, or still in the field of journalism, but I still look back on my college career as some of the most formative years of my life. I learned so much socially, developed a sense of self and learned about many more topics than journalism!

After school I landed into Marketing and Communications. One of the facts I learned in school turned out to be true: marketing can pay more than journalism. But I’ve always found ways to write the kind of pieces I want to write and in the style I like. Sometimes I even get paid for it. I’ve never truly embraced the label of “marketer.” I keep up the industry trends and best practices because I am too Type A not to do so.

What I hear over and over from true marketing professionals is how I need to know that everything you have online is your online brand. So is my brand indifference? I prefer to think of it as general awesomeness, but I am not sure everyone would agree.

For my, what I do outside of work is for the personal me and not the professional me. What I keep hearing from professional peers and media is that I need to get on board with the fact that I am simply wrong. I don’t think I have to accept that, though.

I have had this blog online for a little more than 7 years now and over that time I have made it available and unavailable to the public at various times. I reveal no one’s actual name on the blog. I have changed the URL when Stalker Psycho Boy was getting a little too close. This was all done to protect my privacy. If what I post online truly is my brand, then I think I will brand myself as “F-Off” and just have to make this space for members only.

Super Cool Day

By Kate

On September 24, 2010

In work

Today I was at day number two of a conference all about digital and I got to see two keynote speakers that pretty much rocked. First off was Greg Coleman, President of the Huffington Post.

Seeing someone who represents a success story in journalism today was awesome.

But maybe not as awesome as another keynote speaker… Tim Westergren, founder of Pandora. Did you just read that??? Founder of Pandora. And I got paid to see him speak.