Just saw WALL-E with my son, and in typical Pixar fashion, it is awesome!

Two quick things I found hilarious for the Mac-Geeks out there.

First, there is a character in the film called Auto, who is an auto-pilot robot for the ship. The character’s voice is done by Macintalk, the speech synthesizer included with the Mac back in 1984. It sounded familiar, and I confirmed it as the “actor credit” actually appears at the end of the film.

Second, there is a scene where WALL-E reboots... and yes, it is the Macintosh startup chime that you hear. I found myself laughing out loud (and I think I was the only one within 20 rows of me who got the joke (geek!).

My last home before Washington, DC was Des Moines, IA. A lot of friends and colleagues have been affected by devastating floods that most have overlooked. The short version, floods worse than Hurricane Katrina have been battering the Midwest... few have noticed.

One of my favorite bands, the Nadas, has an online album to raise awareness and funds.

River Songs - Authentic Records' Flood Relief Benefit Bootleg

Contribute to United Way of Central Iowa's flood relief fund while reliving some of your favorite moments from Authentic Records Authentic Records' Flood Relief Benefit on Sunday, June 22. Please pay what you can for this exclusive download. All proceeds benefit United Way of Central Iowa.
1. Barkers Beauty - Fat Andy
2. Come Lay Down - She Swings, She Sways
3. Promise - Benjamin Wagner
4. The Friday Night Fight - Brother Trucker
5. Angels & Devils - Tony Bohnenkamp
6. Feel Like Home - The Nadas
7. Templeton Rye - The Nadas
8. The River - The Nadas

The download is free, but donations matter. Do what you can.

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Here are a few of my favorite resources for Photoshop Actions. These save time and make you look good.

Tools for Television – Want to automate standard video graphics production tasks? Then check out Tools for Television’s Photoshop Toolbox for video-friendly actions at http://www.toolsfortelevision.com.

Action FX – For complex text and special effects, check out the excellent site http://www.actionfx.com. There are several free actions as well as some to purchase.

Photoshop Video Actions – Upgraded to CS2 or CS3? Then be sure to check out the built in Video Actions that I authored with
Dan Brown for some timesaving automation tools.

PanosFX – A newer site that is really becoming one to watch isPanosFX (http://www.panosfx.com). This site has some incredible free actions as well as some very affordable and powerful tools for sale.

Adobe Exchange – If you’re not in a position to purchase add-ons to your system, there’s one incredible free resource worth mentioning. With the release of Photoshop 5.5, Adobe launched a Web site originally called Action Xchange where users could share their actions; see http://www.adobe.com/exchange.

Instructor Richard Harrington shows you how to use stacks in Aperture 2 to group images together, which is helpful when organizing several exposures.



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Instructor Richard Harrington shows you how to batch process a whole folder of images by using actions & droplets.

Instructor Richard Harrington shows you how to use multiple layers to precisely control enhancements you are making to the image. Part 2.



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The Image Processor command is an extremely useful production tool that will allow you to quickly reformat and size images to meet your workflow. The Image Processor script made its official debut in Photoshop CS2, but you can find also find it online under the name Dr. Brown’s Image Processor.

The Image Processor script can be used to convert and process multiple images. It differs from the Batch command in that you don’t need to first create an action. The image processor can be used for any of the following tasks:

• To convert a images to JPEG, PSD, or TIFF format. You can also convert files simultaneously to all three formats.
• To process a set of camera raw files using the same camera raw options.
• To resize images to fit within a specified pixel dimension.
• To embed a color profile into images or convert files to sRGB and save them as JPEG images for the web.
• To include copyright metadata into the processed images.
• The Image Processor can be used with PSD, TIFF, JPEG, or camera raw files.

Step 1: Choose>File>Scripts>Image Processor.

Step 2: Select the images that you want to process. You can use the open images or navigate to a folder to select images.

Step 3: Select a location to save the processed images. You can choose the Exports folder you created previously on your Desktop.

Step 4: Select the file types and options you wish to convert to.

• Save As JPEG – This sets the JPEG quality between 0 and 12. You can also choose to resize the image and convert it to sRGB color profile.
• Save As PSD – This sets the PSD options. You can also resize the image and choose to Maximize Compatibility.
• Save As TIFF – This saves images in the TIFF format with LZW compression. You can also resize the image.

Step 5: You can choose from other processing options.

• Run Action – If an action is loaded into your Actions palette, you can run it on the image during the process.
• Copyright Info – You can add copyright metadata to the image.

Step 6: Click Run to process the multiple images.

I recently got a chance to cohost Layers TV with Corey Barker. The show is a great podcast that comes out each week on all things Adobe. They do a really great job with it and they had me on as a guest host to cover Adobe Production Premium.

“Corey is joined by guest co-host Richard Harrington to discuss working with video in Photoshop Extended, Premiere, and After Effects.

• When working in Premiere, don't forget about the search menu that you can use to locate the effects you want
• Change Color is a useful effect that you can use to target and adjust one color region of your video clip
• There are also Shadow/Highlight adjustment options in Premiere
• You can bring your video clips into Photoshop Extended and apply Photoshop effects to them
• Make video clips into smart objects so that Photoshop will treat them as a single layer
• After you have finished editing the video clip in Photoshop, go under the Export command and render the finished video
• Get more information from Richard at Photoshop For Video.com
• Use After Effects to make speed changes to your video clips. Remember, time is just another keyframe
• If you want further video training from Richard, you can watch his classes at Kelby Training.com, or see him live at Photoshop World this September in Las Vegas”

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WATCH ONLINE

Layers Magazine just released my tutorial on DVD Menus with Photoshop CS3 Extended. Love the intro they give (hah!).
“Now up is the incomparable Richard Harrington. Richard has a tutorial for making a DVD menu in Photoshop CS3 Extended that will have you creating great DVD design with little fuss. Richard will also be doing stuff in Layers TV very soon, so be sure that you check that out as well. Click on the link below to get to the tutorial.”
Richard Harrington - DVD design using Photoshop CS3 Extended

Watch each week as “The Photoshop Guys” (Dave Cross, Matt Kloskowski, and Scott Kelby) from the National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP) share the hottest Adobe Photoshop tutorials, the latest insider tricks, and the coolest timesaving, job-saving shortcuts to make your time in Photoshop more productive, more efficient, and more fun.

Be sure to check out this week’s epsiode of Photoshop User TV. Scott Kelby had me on the show for an interview and a couple of quick tips.

Watch Episode Online
Download Episode 138

Instructor Richard Harrington shows you how to use Aperture 2's quick preview options to speed up browsing through images.



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Instructor Richard Harrington shares some techniques on how to age a photograph in Photoshop.

Instructor Richard Harrington shows you how to use multiple layers to precisely control enhancements you are making to the image.




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Seems like a lot of folks have forgotten (or never learned) how to scan photos. With this is mind, I offer some practical scanning advice. Several problems can be introduced by those using antiquated scanners with a distinct lack of skill. To get the best results, try the following:

• Before scanning an image, ensure you have the latest software needed by your scanner. You can always check their websites or use Version Tracker. Having problems with a lack of support on the OSX side for older scanners. I recommend checking out VueScan from Hamrick Software.

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Instructor Richard Harrington shows you how to use a patterned image to degrade the edges of your text for a unique text effect in Photoshop.

There’s been a lot of ho-hum reviews on the Apple TV… too much of this, not enough of that… but these have all been focussed on the consumer space and the living room.  What I’m here to tell you is why video pros should care about the Apple TV (and why we swear by it in my shop).  Here are a few reasons we use Apple TV at my shop, RHED Pixel.

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Instructor Richard Harrington shares techniques on how to make a Photoshop collage. Part 2.



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Instructor Richard Harrington shows you how to harness the white balance command in Aperture to improve an image.



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Instructor Richard Harrington shows you how to use a patterned image to degrade the edges of your text for a unique text effect in Photoshop.

In the category of so new the paint is still drying.... I present to you the Aperture 2: Quick Tip podcast. You can find the first two episodes online now (as well as embedded here for streaming).

To see the show online and subscribe in a web browser:
HD Web – http://www.podango.com/podcast/3044/Aperture_2_Quick_Tip__HD
HD iTunes – http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=282371228
iPod Web – http://www.podango.com/podcast/3043/Aperture_Quick_Tips__iPod
iPod iTunes – http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=282371245

“Looking to learn all about Aperture 2, Apple's powerful image-editing and organization software? Whether you are new to Aperture or an experienced pro, there's a lot to learn. Aperture 2 is a major update, adding over 100 new features as well as support for a wide- range of digital SLR cameras. This podcast is based on the best selling book, Apple Pro Training Series: Aperture 2 and features co- author RIchard Harrington. Join us each week for a concise, but detailed look at the useful tools and workflows used by imaging professionals. Aperture 2's new features are completely covered, including a new RAW-image processing engine, a streamlined interface, powerful new adjustment tools, and added integration with Mac OS X and other Apple products for instant web publishing and one-click portfolio syncing. You'll learn time- saving techniques for sorting, ranking, and organizing images, effective methods for correcting and enhancing images, plus efficient ways to display images for client review, apply metadata, update your online portfolio automatically, and much more. Real-world exercises feature professional photography from a variety of genres, including photo-journalism, sports, wedding, commercial, and portraiture. To learn more on the software, be sure to check out the Apple Pro Training Series: Aperture 2 book.”