I need an intervention! Nagasaki and Photoshop
I bought instant coffee.
I remember that first hit off my Nikon bong. I thought I could handle it — I really did, but before long I was in for a major headtrip in Lightroom. Before these addictions started eating away my life I was just a normal man engaged in average things: Molecular gastronomy, Marvel Comics and the New 52, Japanese pop music, yoga and free weights. And dinner parties. I loved throwing weekend dinner parties.
This year I got into blogging and got into the routine each morning of making a pot of espresso, opening up WordPress, and engaging with people until the caffeine kicked in. But two days ago I opened Photoshop. Have you ever opened Photoshop?
Detail from a larger work at the Yokohama Triennial .
It’s h a r  d.
Nothing is intuitive.
I got the Fundamentals series from Lynda.com and that was it. Lost time. I was late for work — did not hear the phone ring when they called; I forgot to eat; and I ended up buying instant coffee because I couldn’t tear myself away from my iMac to look for my Starbuck’s Bean’s Card — It is impossible to do M.R. in the morning with instant coffee!
Shogi in Nagasaki Chinatown
So here I sit, sifting through copies of copies of copies of re-edited photos of the next stop on my photo journey, Nagasaki. The rains were building in intensity, the anniversary of the nuclear bomb was approaching, and people all over Japan were beginning their summer Obon Holiday, so despite the weather everyplace was packed. I had a great time. I’ll tell you about it tomorrow if I can get a handle on these Adobe cravings.
Detail from the Chinese temple Kofukuji in Nagasaki
This made me smile. I don’t have Photoshop, but I can appreciate your sentiments…I do the same thing w/ my photos and poems!
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p.s…oh, wanted to say that I do yoga and free weight workouts myself..love it!
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hi Steven..too bad you are so far over there…bet your dinner parties are a blast! I have to say I have photo shop and will put in on my new computer soon…but, so far I edit nothing that I do.. now I am scared I will be overtaken by PShop mania..love the work… and I am never going to piss off a buddhist monk for sure! 🙂
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It’s heroin. 😉 Or I’m just obsessive. When I’m interested in something, all my focus hones in on the point.
In my experience, it was really frustrating because even opening and closing a document wasn’t straightforward. But once you work out those basics you’ll be fine.
I can’t wait to see what you come up with.
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I don’t need another reason to sit in front of my computer and even put off going to the restroom before I do just “one more thing”! 🙂
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You are wise.
My computer and I have become one. We are Borg, version 1.0.
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Lol!
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Fust time I tried I couldn’t reach the page, dammit ! Just as well I persevered, eh ?
Listen … PhotoShop is, as I have heard from everyone who uses it, an extremely complex piece of software. Makes no difference (shit ! your bloody ‘selection of food images’ just totally distracted me – would you move that widget, please ?!) that you can take terrific photos; it’s for another stratum of your brain. You can confidently expect to spend a whole lotta time learning it, Mr S the B: live with it. You will, I know; because you want to do the absolute best you can. And you have zero interest in the fact that I find your non-retouched frames wonderful, too. X !
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I forgot to say two things ! – how like me …
(1) I really love that shogi shot – that kind of monochrome is most appealing !
(2) Your link takes anyone to the site I shall be executing at dawn …
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hehehehehe. If you like, I’ll update the link. If not, well, as I said, I can’t do M.R. with instant coffee. Fitting, no? 😉
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Oh, very ! 🙂
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Thank you much!
It’s been a lot of fun to learn. It’s teaching me to have a more critical eye. Hope you like my first Photoshopped image. 🙂
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Have I seen it yet ? Surely not; you will be crowing about it. Or … don’t tell me I HAVE, and haven’t cottoned on …?
Sighh …
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I Understand … I use both Photoshop and Lightroom and can spend half a day on either.
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Try Infusionsoft; it’ll make Photoshop look like child’s play.
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I just checked out their website. They used words like “organize” and “automation”, which is more enticing that the best pornography or chocolate. Oh, Eric, you may have just killed me!
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The prospect was/is clearly unintended. Obviously, we all have different buttons.
I can share war stories and a lengthy list of Infusionsoft user casualties. Consider yourself forewarned.
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Organization is my thing. The Ikea catalog? It’s like soft porn for me.
One day, if someone rips a torrent, I might download it and give it a whirl. 😉
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And the earth may well tilt on its axis then. 🙂
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Can’t say anything about Photoshop – didn’t have the pleasure. But that detail of a temple is so cool! So bright and airy and with so much character! And why are there swords in a temple?
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Warrior monks, of course.
People who think Islam is the dangerous religion have never pissed of a Buddhist monk. The Dali Lama is fierce!
😉
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Who would have thought ; )
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